The Teenagers
Reality Check
(MEROK) B+

Hailing from France and London, the technically brilliant trio of The Teenagers – and their debut album Reality Check – take the subject of being a somewhat sexually frustrated teenager to incredibly enjoyable heights. Each track reads like an episode of Skins; horny, drugged-up high school kids, whose parents would probably suffer ill-fated heart attacks were they to know exactly what their kids were up to. Now, I haven’t been a teenager for quite some time, but I’m fairly sure this sort of depiction is slightly exaggerated. Shows like Skins and music by The Teenagers are pieces of work about a younger generation, aimed at the 20-something’s of the world, who are more likely to be the ones drugged up in l’amour. Not only is it a newfound trend that works incredibly well, there’s something somewhat appealing to the marginally older eye about it all too.

The Teenagers use a lot of colourful language and mix it with much taboo; we get the C-bomb on the ace album opener Homecoming, in which the female vocalist admits she was taken by the English romance on offer from her “step-cousin, or whatever. Oh my god, I think I’m in love.” Brilliant! New single Starlett Johansson is a thousand shades of genius; a poetic love song from a teenage boy to the Hollywood fantasy of his spank-bank, with lyrics so hilarious Scarlett herself would surely find it all very flattering. Streets Of Paris is an incredible unofficial ode to The Cars with its slamming 80’s new-wave chorus, and Sunset Beach – my personal favourite on the album – takes things into the mind of boy hurt by a girl who “left with the sunlight.” Then there’s the dreamy Wheel Of Fortune which incorporates some of songwritings greatest lyrics; “If Shannen Doherty had stayed in 90210, maybe she would never have met Alyssa Milano. If Ben Affleck wasn’t making movies, would the world be better?” Genius.  And then there’s French Kiss, which is a fierce pop-rock-indie-synthy love song with a seriously exhilarating chorus.

The really good thing about this teenage-for-adults societal movement is its way of incorporating as much relevant pop culture notation’s as possible. Hilarious lyrics like “don’t forget to send me a friend request” and “you spend so much time on your computer” help tap into the MySpace/Facebook generation, which is exactly what the generation of kids/adults listening to this record may embark on saying one day to someone they have a crush on themselves.  Or at the very least be aware of its comedic factor.  Reality Check is not everyone’s cup of tea, but definitely one of my favourite records for the year thus far.

The Teenagers are playing Brisbane’s THE MET tomorrow night the 12th of June, Melbourne’s BILLBOARD: THE VENUE on Friday the 13th (ooooooh!) of June, and Sydney’s OXFORD ART FACTORY on Saturday the 14th.  If you’re out and about, check them out.  See you at the Melbourne show?