Take one part The Sounds and add it to three parts Le Tigre, then multiply it by a four parts of Hot Chip, and you might have an idea what The Battle Royale sounds like. An intriguing blend of electroclash, electronic and punk rock, this funky foursome from Minneapolis writes and performs what they refer to on their MySpace profile as “a bad mixture of everything because we copy everyone.” There is some truth to that; the nine tracks on their formal debut do resemble not only the bands mentioned above, but also many others that have populated the genre that has come to be known as “electronic dance.” But that’s not necessarily a bad thing: As unoriginal as their sound is, it is informed by an undeniable chutzpah that gives these tracks some charm. It’s hard not to want to get up and move around the room to a track like “Oh Martha,” which boasts aggressive organ playing and an entirely hummable chorus of “Oh oh oh”s, or “Confessions,” which prompts listeners to “just listen to the beat of the groove.” Meanwhile, the disc’s un-ironic album closer, “Folk Song,” actually comes across as a surprisingly competent acoustic number, complete with harmonica and tambourine. At times, lead vocalist John Pelant’s nasally speak-sing style recalls the Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano, while bassist and vocalist Grace Fiddler is all Maja Ivarsson (The Sounds), and it is their delivery of these kitschy, free-wheeling tracks that ultimately sells this collection of catchy—if somewhat predictable—pop tunes.
~ Ken Knox
