XX Teens, Welcome to Goon Island

Listening to XX Teens’ debut album, Welcome to Goon Island, it’s quite obvious that they’re British. This five-man band of London college friends have crafted a collection of songs so delectable that you want to call your travel agent and book a trip to Goon Island yourself. The soirée kicks off with “The Way We Were,” a song that will satisfy your inner Christopher Walken with its abundance of cowbell.

Bovine-inspired musical instruments aside, what makes this a good album is the band’s willingness to do what they want. The songs change course more times than Oprah’s weight loss. They channel Iggy Pop on “My Favorite Hat,” and “Darlin” combines steel drums with big horns and James Brown’s “Funky Drummer.” The odd duck in this menagerie is “Sun Comes Up,” a sitar-laden trip fest that feels more suited for a rave.

One peculiar aspect to Goon Island is that there are no choruses. The band has been able to circumvent the traditional song structure while still rockin’ out. One other aspect that needs to be given credit is producer/engineer Ross Orton, who lets the band’s frenetic sound come to life. He is also credited with the off-kilter drumming that punctuates each song.