Black Kids Hope to Repeat U.K. Success at Home With Album, Tour

Posted on Jul 24th 2008 3:00PM by Jolie Lash
Comments

Black Kids have just released their debut album, 'Partie Traumatic,' but rather than celebrating with a fancy dinner and a heavy session at the bar, frontman Reggie Youngblood is on the phone. After spending months in Europe -- in particular the United Kingdom, where they've already had a Top 20 single -- the Florida-based indie-party band are finally back stateside and talking up the record.

"It's really kind of ass-backward for us to be popular there, being from the States," frontman Reggie Youngblood tells Spinner of the band's overseas success. "It just seems easier to get well known there quicker and in a way ... I always hoped it would happen that way."

While Europeans have had a chance to immerse themselves in the band's spirited blend of indie, dance and juvenile brat-pop, the band is thrilled about releasing their album in America. The effort was recorded this past spring in London with guitarist Bernard Butler of London Suede fame as producer.

For 'Partie Traumatic' the group churned out an energetic offering, one that has plenty of mentions of the body. "I've always been a bit oversexed, since I was a little boy, and it didn't help that I just kind of randomly decided to be celibate when I was a teenager. I just kind of imposed this sexual repression on myself," Youngblood said. "It does seem like most of our songs stem from my groin. I don't really feel like I know anything about anything else. It's so sad to hear me say that out loud."

Stateside fans can hear what it's all about during a fall tour, or if they are in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles during the next two weeks. "We just keep moving forward," Youngblood said of taking on America. "We try and have a party every time we play."