WXPN Artist To Watch - July 2008
Black Kids

Formed in 2006, Black Kids have quickly gained recognition as one of the most intriguing and exciting emerging artists of the year. The funky indie-pop group from Jacksonville broke out in 2007 and reached fame quickly as a result of their growing online popularity. They skyrocketed into the mainstream glare of mass media coverage, after their breakout performances at the Athens Popfest and their performance at CMJ.

The Kids have since enjoyed glowing praise from critics, bloggers, and fans alike for their faux-disco-inspired sound. On the strength of their self-released 2007 Wizards of Ahhhs EP alone, Rolling Stone named them a top-ten Artist to Watch for 2008 and Columbia Records signed them to a major-label deal.

The dynamic group is led by frontman Reggie Youngblood, whose Robert Smith-like vocals and charismatic on-stage presence distinguish Black Kids as seriously deserving of the hype they’ve received. Their upcoming debut album, Partie Traumatic, is scheduled for a July 22 US release and includes the band’s infectious first single, “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You.”

Black Kids recently played an XPN Live Friday Free At Noon show at World Cafe Live and are slated to headline their own European tour this summer.

Website: blackkidsmusic.com/
MySpace: myspace.com/blackkidsrock
Recent Release: Partie Traumatic
Release Date: July 22, 2008
Label: Red Int / Red Ink
Band Origin: Jacksonville, Florida

Related Links:
Artists To Watch | World Cafe.NPR.org