I probably should have known something was up when two thirds of the reviews I read of Mommy and Daddy's Duel at Dawn talked more about how much fun they are live when you didn't quite know what to expect from them than about the album. Let it be a lesson to me.
Who knows? Maybe, had I been in a room full of those Friendster scene people who think they're too good for MySpace (and, let's face it, they probably are), with a beer in each hand, and the freedom to quietly mock the whole "Emperor's New Clothes" feel to it all, I might not be so down on this album. But I am. I'm pretty darn down on it.
It's just that I wanted to like this duo. They look super-cute, and the Mommy and Daddy aspect seemed appealing in a weird, uber-slick, po-mo kind of way. But on closer inspection, if Duel at Dawn is anything to judge by, the concepts aren't really that great. The lyrics aren't great, either. Half the time I couldn't even tell if it was Mommy or Daddy singing - maybe this is intentional? And by the time track three rolled around, I didn't even care. The songs are repetitive, and actually kind of grating. And the angsty, angry "do do do do's" don't really improve things.
I'm totally prepared to accept that this band and this album just aren't my thing at all. (For the love of God, Mommy-Daddy, whoever it is, stop slamming your meaty fists down on a random assortment of Casio keys already!) Maybe this album is secretly really awesome, and I'm just not in the best position to grasp whatever elusive ultra-modern genius is at work here.
At present, though, this smacks of two kids with a basement hobby and a lot of energy, who perhaps get a lot of positive affirmation from close friends who either create music in a similar vein, or people who can't bring themselves to contemplate that maybe they aren't 'getting it' because there's nothing to 'get' and so smile and nod their heads anyway. It's an energetic album, sure. And Mommy and Daddy get an "A" for effort on this front. And really, who am I to criticize? The Friendster people need to let their hair down every once in awhile, too, right?
I don't want to give the impression that Duel at Dawn is all bad, because it isn't. "Good Deal" and "Franconia Road" are two really solid tracks that could totally hold their own in the realm of dance-worthy club songs. They just aren't enough to carry the whole album, which really is awash with hatefully repetitive electronic drum beats that make one want to, well, turn the stereo off.
