I got into Hot Chip last year after their album One Life Stand got a ton of hype. I loved what I heard, mainly in tracks like I Feel Better and We Have Love, two infectious, danceable, fast songs. The upbeat songs on that album were able to overshadow the slow songs that I didn’t like too much, and One Life Stand became one of my favorite records of 2010.
I figured that I should check out what else Hot Chip had to offer, considering how much I enjoyed their most recent work. I decided to start at the beginning, with Coming on Strong, their debut from 2005. This album seems to be entirely composed of slower songs, comparable to Alley Cats or Take it In on One Life Stand. While I still prefer the faster, happier songs on One Life Stand, Coming on Strong has made me appreciate the great beats and passionate lyrics that can be found on the melancholy tracks.
My main beef with Coming on Strong is its length. I can only take so many minimalist electronic songs in a row, and the album had a lot of trouble holding my attention for all of its 51-minutes. Call it ADD, I don’t care, I need some exciting, catchy songs on an electronic album to stay interested.
The slower tempos made me focus on the words used in the songs more than I normally would. With lyrical gems like “Fuck you, you fucking fuck” on Bad Luck and “I’ve been to all the beaches on the strip and you better believe this shit” on The Beach Party, let’s just say that Coming on Strong won’t be shooting to the top of my “favorite albums” list.
Swole Ear 
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