Kid Theodore, goodnight…goodnight

I’ve found my new guilty pleasure. An album saturated with so much indie-pop goodness it makes your tummy hurt from the sweetness. Kid Theodore’s seven-song debut EP, goodnight…goodnight, is a pop lover’s dream, especially if that pop lover is surreptitiously recovering from a bout of boy-band lovin’.

No, I’m not a closet boy-band fan; I’m not even an out of the closet boy-band fan. But I know a solid pop record when I hear it, and and that’s more or less what Kid Theodore is dishing out. Sure, some of their songs (well, two of them) could convincingly be belted out by the likes of N’Sync, but the album is so likeable that you can’t help but love the band anyway.

Granted, goodnight…goodnight starts off a bit weak. “Fashion-Able” begins strong, but the off-key attempt at harmonizing quickly becomes off-putting for me. I’m not sure if the unevenness of the vocalists was intentional, but I feel like it took a great deal away from the potential of the song. Perhaps I’m getting older and don’t get the indie-pop kids these days? “Lonely Angel,” on the other hand, is super cheesy, Velveeta-like, but it’s got a good melody and the lyrics aren’t so tragic that it prevents you from getting the gist of the song’s overall intent (e.g., this guy is “digging you like a grave”).

“Diagnosis: You’re in Love” — the song title pretty much gives away the song. You know it’s going to be one of those tunes you hate yourself a little for loving so much. The lyrics are sung in such a heartfelt manner that I almost feel bad for laughing as I listen (note that I said “almost”). I love it, but laughing at it makes me feel a little less like a preteen.

Thankfully, Kid Theodore’s later musical merit completely offsets the album’s earlier lack of lyrical integrity. The music and the genuineness of the lead vocalist gently nudge the listener to move onward with the rest of the record. The progression of the album is fantastic. “The End Is Near” is one of the best songs I’ve heard in quite some time; it has the perfect combination for a truly memorable indie-pop song, with subtle lyrics, shoe-gazing music with just a hint of trumpet, and the beautifully melodic accompaniment of a mystery songstress. It’s exactly what Kid Theodore needed to seal the deal.

While goodnight…goodnight sometimes falters lyrically, it makes up for it with musical integrity, passion, and good times. The band sounds like they know what they’re doing, and they seem to be having a freaking great time executing their collective vision. Diagnosis: I’m hooked. (Come on, don’t pretend like you didn’t see that coming…)