This album FINALLY came out after months of having nothing but a few stray tracks on MySpace. Normally, I despise any ”important” band from LA’s hipper-than-thou Silverlake region but these folks have the goods. It’s unfortunate that “Some Time Around Midnight” seems to be the big single here. Although I like it a great deal, even for a straight up Arcade Fire rip off, the rest of the album goes in a much different, better direction. “Gasoline” is a feel good teenage rave-up that really cooks. The opening track “Wishing Well” has those perfect scratchy, smokey vocals that follow the smooth tempo changes the way Bono used to back when he was still kinda pissed. “Happiness is Overated” has a great thumping call and response bassline like Steve Albini got out of the Pixies.  “Papillon” has that boppy jangly guitar sound we used to get from Oingo Boingo and scary vocals to match. I just realized I sort of liked Oingo Boingo! There goes all that punk rock street cred I worked so hard for in the 80’s. I guess I can hang up the studded belt now, it’s over. Anyhow, TATE seem to be made up of an eclectic musical stew. They have hip LA guy with dumb hair, a gothy looking guy, the guy who looks like he works at radio shack and a girl who’s way too hot for any of the guys in the band. The music totally matches that aesthetic and it’s the perfect summer BBQ and beers album. I can’t get “Does This Mean You’re Moving On” out of my head no matter how hard I try.