Caroline
Kitsume/Cooperative Music, 2012
http://www.kitsune.fr/journal/artists/citizens
REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 08/07/2012
There are two main reasons I had to give Citizens! a listen. First, my personal record collection contains several bands with 'Citizen' in their name (e.g. Citizen's Arrest, Citizen Fish). Second, musically I'm a bit of an anglophile – you can blame Morrissey and Marr for that. Seeing as this young London band are quickly becoming all the rage across the pond, I really had to see what all the fuss was about and give this a few spins.
The EP leads off with "Caroline,” their first hit single. It’s a song that features endless hooks and playful, upbeat electronic fun. The wordplay is easily digestible, and it's no wonder why this addictive pop rock tune has put Citizens! on the map. Later on here, "Caroline" gets the remix treatment from Night Works, and after that you get a Gigamesh remix of “True Romance.” The band sprinkles in plenty of energetic, fiery anthems throughout the EP, but they choose to close things off with an acoustic version of “Reptile,” illustrating that they are skilled at any volume or tempo.
Featuring three originals recorded in Scotland with Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand fame, two remixes from their legendary peers, and an unplugged track as well, this is an excellent collection and worthwhile look into a very promising band.
An outfit that is paving a unique path with their imaginative, creative version of pop music, Citizens! mesh indie-rock sensibilities with pop rock flavor and '80s dance floor nods. The end result is a dizzying and energetic display of modern sounds. A precursor to their forthcoming album Here We Are, this quick listen is a great way to test the waters of who could very well be “The Next Big Thing.” If you own anything by Hot Chip or The Killers, this disc is a must hear.