get down

!!! – Myth Takes

Give the hipsters back their dancing shoes and turn up the bass. !!! is back with a follow up to 2004’s Louden Up Now, and Nic Offer’s creative grooves are stronger then ever.

!!! is a visual image that the band uses as a name. Basically they can be called by repeating any one-syllable sound three times. Chk Chk Chk is most commonly used. Nic Offer was in the Yah Mahs until he wanted to make something more danceable. He created !!! and the recently broken up instrumental group Out Hud. !!! released the single Me and Giuliani Down by the School Yark (A True Story) in 2003 on Touch and Go Records and broke into the indie scene.

The seven dance punkers of !!! continue to do what they do best on Myth Takes. The albums infectious bass lines and break downs will make even the most negative Nancy tap along to the groove. Justin Van Der Volgen is one of the sickest bassists ever and crafts funky bass-lines over the barrage of sound the other members generate. Van Der Volgen and Offer really bring the band to life. Offer’s vocals and pure enjoyment that can be found in his various vocals styles oozes passion and joy. The rest of the bands talent is shown in the breakdowns and transitions the band takes regularly.

The opening title track is an excellent strong one that immediately put me in the mood for the album. You can't ask more for an opening song. Three tracks in comes Must be the Moon that has such a fucking amazing beat it was in my head for a few weeks. The songs humor is awesome too as Offer takes about trying then getting with a girl at a party who was drunk. It's almost sexy and poppy, a nice push. Break in Case of anything has to be the most interesting song on the album because it molds styles and really pushes the band and Offer's vocals in a different direction then normal.

Myth Takes offers some of the best dance punk to come out of the last 10 years. They are not afraid to show their roots in greats like Gang of Four and delve into James Browns legendary funk groove. !!!’s beauty comes from the heart and purity of the music. This isn’t dance music with electronic beats, this is dance music played by musicians.

Recommended if you've enjoyed thier previous works or are looking for something to widen your catologue. My and Guiliani is still thier best work and has yet to be topped on this album, but that's not to say it's not great.