The NME has said that Shy Child “are to Kraftwerk what the White Stripes are to Led Zeppelin,” but it might be more accurate to compare drummer Nate Smith and keyboardist/vocalist Pete Cafarella to Brendan Fraser in “Encino Man” – like his miraculously preserved caveman, this keytar-rockin’ duo comes straight out of a bygone era. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you – especially if you’ve ever wondered what it might sound like if your favorite early ‘80s New Wave band had survived the last quarter century intact. (Duran Duran doesn’t count.) As the album’s title promises, Smith and Cafarella make an incredible racket here, spinning an impressively dense web of sound out of their drums ‘n’ keys setup. And oh, those keys – you haven’t heard synth tones like this since the closing credits of “Revenge of the Nerds.” Repeated listening to the keyboard solo in “What’s It Feel Like?” may cause spontaneous hair-feathering. It’s all a lot of fun, honestly, even if the endlessly uptempo beats do start to get a little ear-numbing after awhile; Cafarella’s gulping vocals are perfect for the material, and it’s a blast hearing actual drums on a dance record. You probably won’t find yourself humming any of these songs after they’re over, but after 40 solid minutes of ass-shaking, who feels like humming anyway? (Kill Rock Stars 2008)
