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The Ting Tings: My new new favorite band

Last night I finally got around to listening to the Ting Tings, and I'm hooked. I literally spent every moment of my commute today to and from work (around an hour and a half round trip) listening to two songs I found online last night.

They have an EP being released on Tuesday, March 4 called Great DJ and are playing a show at the Vera Project on Sunday, March 9.

"Great DJ" and especially "That's Not My Name" are two of the catchiest pop songs I've heard for a while. While neither is available in the US, to my knowledge, yet (*cough* Hype Machine *cough*), they can be streamed on the band's MySpace page.

"That's Not My Name" has singer Katie White bemoaning men who forget her name once she expresses disinterest. It's funny and sassy, kind of like what Lily Allen would sound like if she stopped listening to ska. The chorus ("they call me 'hell'; they call me 'Stacey'; they call me 'her'; the call me 'Jane'; that's not my name") is simply infectuous.

They've gotten some buzz already, including a poll conducted by the BBC (h/t Stereogum) which predicted the bands most likely to break out in 2008 and they ranked higher (#3) than bands such as Vampire Weekend, the Black Kids, and Foals. In this case I am drinking the Kool-Aid.

An LP is scheduled for release later in the Spring, or at least for a British release. I hope it finds its way domestically soon.

Here's some YouTube-age for "Great DJ" and "That's Not My Name":

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
by ChrisB

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1   Imaginary Shrie said on February 27, 2008

Pretty f-ing catchy.

2   ten ton bus said on February 28, 2008

Does the first video look like someone has been watching too many early They Might Be Giants videos?

Were there others 80's / 90's bands that did that awkward synchronized dancing sequences?

3   JessicaSeattle said on March 2, 2008

Great pickup, Imaginary Chris!! I will repost your article.

They did a couple shows stateside late last year (L.A. & NY), but the Vera Project show will be their Seattle debut. It's BRILLIANT we'll get to see them live, even though no substantial airplay, sales, etc. They are awesome live (I haven't seen them, but have heard from UK friends & a local pal who flew down to their L.A. show in Nov that they are phenomenal, not to be missed!).

4   Cloudbusting said on March 2, 2008

I am Jessica's local pal and I did see them in L.A. which was more of a industry show than for the public. There were better live than on record. I love all of their mucic they have made and if you want to hear early music of what would become the Ting Tings check out the Band Dear Eskimo. They only have a EP out and it's pretty good stuff. Once they released the DE EP they dis-banded and made the Ting Tings.

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