Who? A Brooklyn duo that looks an awful lot like some other guy-girl pairs: She plays drums. He sings. The two, who met as fellow students at Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute two years ago, decided to start a relationship and a band, in that order. On stage, which is precisely where they’ve made themselves known, Matt (Johnson, keyboards/vocals) and Kim (Schifino, drums) bring their forcefully catchy and speedy pop that’s had the kids thrashing themselves sweaty all over the country for most of the summer and fall, and that was before their self-titled debut album was even released on iheartcomix records.
What’s the Deal? The eleven tracks on their debut clock in at a speedy twenty-nine minutes and are a quick-and-dirty crash course on Matt and Kim’s enthusiastically messy music, with the anthemic “Yea Yeah” setting the pace for other raucous numbers like “5K” and “Frank.” Individual songs, however, are pretty secondary to Matt and Kim. The album could just as easily be one big party, and that would be alright with them. “When we went into this band we decided it was never worth getting mad if either of us messed something up at a show,” Kim told SPIN.com. “We loved playing so much and just wanted to have fun, so we’d just smile and laugh through it. And while we’ve gotten a bit better at playing since we first started a couple years ago, I think that mentality is still a big part of what we do, what keeps it fun, and what helps us through any disasters!”
Fun Fact: In the video for “Yea Yeah,” Matt and Kim are pelted with various food items while trying to play their instruments — and maintain their cool — on a whitewash set. The band shot the video in one take, including the ending where they destroy their instruments, some friends in food costumes (yep), and each other. KAITLIN FONTANA
Talk: Do Matt and Kim make you shout “yea yeah”?
Now Hear This: Matt and Kim – “Yea Yeah” DOWNLOAD MP3
Now Watch This: https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Yg-CgIwaHs
On the Web: mattandkimmusic.com
