The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing

I've been hearing The Ting Tings on the radio for a month or so, now. WRXP was playing them to drum up interest in their holiday concert. To be honest, they didn't do much for me and I wasn't really looking forward to the show. Let this be a lesson in why it's important to keep an open mind.

I'm not one for too much showmanship at concerts. I guess my feeling is that in 60 years of rock 'n roll, there just isn't much left that hasn't been done. So when I see a guy play guitar behind his back, I can't help but think of the fact that I'm not watching Hendrix or Page, so who cares?

There are exceptions, however. A few years back, I saw Los Lonely Boys play the WBOS Earthfest show in Boston. When they decided the show off, the two Garcias who don't play drums stood at the edge of the stage, arms outstretched, holding and playing their guitar and bass with one hand.

I had a similar experience watching The Ting Tings. Just two (and a half) performers in the band, I watch Jules De Martino sit at his drum kit, playing guitar with his hands and the set with his feet. Meanwhile, Katie White played her Korg synthesizer with a guitar strapped behind her back and a microphone in front of her. Now, granted, it was pretty clear that a third member of the band was helping out behind the scenes, but these artists clearly know how to multitask. Regardless, this British electro-pop duo more than impressed.

It wasn't until after their super high-energy show that I went home and downloaded their album. I'm glad I waited. The Ting Tings are fun. It's as simple as that. White sings with an attitude and sexuality like she might be about to tear your shirt off, but she'd be just as likely to throw you down and step over you in her boots.

You may have heard their iPhone commercial song, "Shut Up and Let Me Go." It's a good song, but there's plenty more. "That's Not My Name" is probably the highlight, with a mix of attitude and great producing. The longer the song goes, the more you get pulled into its emotional urgency. It's a song about empowerment and mattering as an individual and as a woman.

Perhaps the most surprising element of the album and the live show is that beneath all of that nearly spoken-word attitude lies a beautiful voice. In "Traffic Light," for instance, you hear a delicate, but assured vocal performance. I wouldn't be surprised to see her further expand her vocal horizons on future albums.