When a band decides to put an exclamation mark in their name, it automatically adds a little bit more to the expectations. The Go! Team certainly lived up to those on their unusually refreshing debut,
Thunder, Lightning, Strike, back in 2004. And with their second effort, you don’t have to wait for long until the first knockout.
Opener ‘Grip Like A Vice’ is easily one of the best singles of the year; with team boss Ian Parton’s signature air raid guitars, and rapper Ninja in a more central role than before. And where their debut probably didn’t sound as good as it could have,
Proof Of Youth could not possibly sound any better.
The tunes are still all killers, and it feels just as important for hip hop as it does for rock. If you’re not convinced, just have a listen to another album highlight, ‘Flashlight Fight’, where they are accompanied by Public Enemy’s Chuck D.
Proof Of Youth is even better than their debut, which says quite a bit about these guys. In fact, you are not likely to have more fun than this all year.