Black Kids

“Partie Traumatic”

(Columbia)

Why have the members of Black Kids made such a splash with their debut album? Because they get it.

Vocalist Reggie Youngblood, founder of the Jacksonville, Fla.-based group, explained why the band makes music: “Our goal is to create music that would incite one to dance and to cry.”

Well, mission accomplished on “Partie Traumatic.”

The five members of Black Kids (only Youngblood and his younger sister, Ali, are actually black) range in age from 22 to 28, and this release captures the infectious energy of youth (at least as I vaguely remember it).

But every manufactured young pop act has that going for it to some degree. This band takes things further, drawing from its wildly varied influences and coming up with a distinctive style all its own.

As produced by ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, “Partie Traumatic” is a hook-packed blend of heart and hips. Nothing proves that better than the band’s UK hit “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You,” in which vocalist Youngblood pulls off being wounded and defiant at the same time, backed by a driving beat.

The music industry has taken notice of Black Kids, as the band went from having a four-song demo on its MySpace page to being featured in Rolling Stone and gaining a major-label deal. Youngblood admits: “We did expect some sort of reaction, but not so sudden. We’ve seemed to skip many steps.”

It would be easy to begrudge Black Kids for its sudden fame. But as “Partie Traumatic” shows, sometimes being talented is more important than paying dues. The trick is keeping a place at the table in the future.

– DALE MCGARRIGLE

Brian Eno & David Byrne

“Everything That Happens Will Happen Today”

(everythingthathappens.com)

Twenty-five years ago, Brian Eno and David Byrne recorded “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts” in the spare moments in between laying down tracks for the Talking Heads’ seminal 1981 album “Remain in Light.” “Bush of Ghosts” was unintentionally groundbreaking, combining world music and funk with samples of field recordings, old records and looped percussion. It was among the first purely electronic albums, and the first to use samples.

Now Eno and Byrne have collaborated again – though this time around, the music is a little less wildly experimental, and a little more comfortably strange. “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today” is based on Eno and Byrne’s quirky songs, which feature Eno’s music and Byrne’s vocals and lyrics. In many ways, it sounds like a David Byrne album, but there’s nothing wrong with that – Byrne is one of the most unique, consistently engaging and intelligent figures to come out of punk rock. And Brian Eno is Brian Eno, which is to say – he’s kind of a genius.

What’s striking about “Everything That Happens,” aside from the fact that, superficially, it sounds nothing like “Bush of Ghosts,” is that it’s essentially an album of fun, melodic, slightly funky electro-pop that asks questions of daily life in 21st century America. The pair called “Bush of Ghosts” “electronic gospel,” and while the gospel-based musical elements they referred to are gone, on this album that spirituality is still present, as is both an amusement and unease with modern technology and culture.

In some ways, it’s reminiscent of an electronic Flaming Lips – themes of mortality, God and confusion about society, presented in the form of weird, delightful pop songs. It’s mostly midtempo, except for the rave up of “I Feel My Stuff.” And while it’s certainly not groundbreaking, it is an album from David Byrne and Brian Eno. More than 25 years after first working together, they still know how to make interesting music.

— EMILY BURNHAM

The Verve

“Forth”

(On Your Own)

It seems that 2008 is starting to sound a lot like 1997. Portishead finally released the follow-up to its ’97 self-titled album earlier this year, and now beloved Brit-rock quartet The Verve has re-emerged with the surprise sequel to its ’97 classic, “Urban Hymns.”

The success of that album’s world-conquering single “Bitter Sweet Symphony” made the bandmates stars, but also led to some tensions and a bitter breakup in 1999. Singer Richard Ashcroft embarked on a moderately successful solo career and The Verve became a distant memory until the band unexpectedly re-formed last year.

“We are getting back together for the joy of music,” the members said in announcing their return, and that joy is evident throughout “Forth.” Kicking off with a vintage slice of Verve-style psychedelia, “Sit and Wonder” instantly proves that Nick McCabe’s atmospheric wash of guitar noise and Ashcroft’s shaman bark belong together.

First single “Love Is Noise” takes a dance-rock detour and keeps up admirably with younger acts like Klaxons or Franz Ferdinand, while the aptly named “Noise Epic” digs back deeper to the extended jams of The Verve’s ’95 album “A Northern Soul,” escalating to a guitar maelstrom over the course of eight minutes. “Valium Skies” evokes the gray-sky balladry of “Urban Hymns” hit “The Drugs Don’t Work,” and “Appalachian Springs” makes for a suitably epic album closer.

There are a few missteps, such as “Numbness” (also aptly named, unfortunately), but overall “Forth” is a strong return from one of the best British bands of the ’90s. Let’s hope the group sticks around for a while this time.

— TRAVIS GASS

Dar Williams

“Promised Land”

(Razor & Tie)

“Promised Land” is contemporary folk singer-songwriter Dar Williams’ eighth record for the Razor & Tie label, and she breaks no new ground here. Not that she needs to, necessarily; Williams has a pretty voice, her songs lean toward the pop side of the genre, and she avoids the soul-baring excesses of some of her peers.

But that’s not enough to keep this collection in high rotation in the CD player.

For “Promised Land,” Williams tapped Brad Wood as producer. Wood, who has worked with Pete Yorn, Liz Phair and Ben Lee, moved her away from the acoustic guitar and toward a full rock-band sound, albeit a band that takes few risks and brings generic, if accomplished, chops.

A press release accompanying “Promised Land” notes that Wood is inspired by the late ’70s and early ’80s records by the Police, Elvis Costello and the Pretenders. Sadly, Williams’ songs aren’t in the same league as those touchstone artists, and the full-blown sound overwhelms them.

With the exception of the opening track, “It’s Alright,” the pop treatment fails to produce anything to hook the ear. Even the use of some musical all-stars, such as Better Than Ezra drummer Travis McNabb, multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz, who has played with Wilco and Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega on backing vocals and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, fails to elevate the collection.

You want to root for Williams to score with this record. She’s a sensitive, sincere songwriter who plays plenty of benefits, writes children’s books, is active in the local-food movement, and in interviews comes across as a genuine person, grounded to real life with a husband and son. But fans who see her perform these songs live in a solo acoustic setting may hear them at their best.

-TOM GROENING