It’s never a bad time for some good old-fashioned funk, but the summer seems to make anything danceable sound even more danceable. Kids These Days are a group of actual kids (puts old man hat on) who have made it their personal mission to make the summer of 2011 more danceable with their song “Summerscent” and their EP Hard Times.
This eight piece band (eight!!) met while attending the University of Illinois @ Chicago as even younger teenagers (shades of Doogie Howser) and display a musical acuity you’d normally associate with musicians twice their age. The unisex, multi-racial band manages to integrate jazz, soul, funk and hip-hop in a way that doesn’t sound forced or cheesy.
Not surprisingly, these kids kick ass in a live setting. They won tons of fans performing at South by Southwest earlier this year and they’ll be hitting the stage at Lollapalooza in just over a week.
Being a former New Yorker, the title “Summerscent” doesn’t necessarily conjure up the most appealing of odors (ever walked through a subway station on a 90 degree day?) but, coming from Kids These Days, I’m reminded of lazy days cooling out in Central Park or Washington Square Park, walking through the flea market on Broadway in the East Village, and going back home to Brooklyn and sitting on the stoop, chatting with friends until late in the night. I guarantee you’ll be hearing more from this band soon.
http://youtu.be/MAopeQdGe8Y