The Go! Team
Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Columbia
Sounding something along the lines of a pep rally set to the theme song from The A Team, Thunder, Lightning, Strike is like a Jock Rock compellation for the indie-rock set. The album’s insistent beats, raw production and expertly placed samples create a sound that is totally unique. “Bottle Rocket” highlights this individuality, combining the charm of DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist’s sample collage work on Brain Freeze with the intensity of a coked-out Sly Stone performance. The similarly intense “Huddle Formation” and “The Power is On” develop this approach even further, showing the group’s uncanny ability to be sonically overwhelming, diverse and as charming as a bastard all in one song. This definitely isn’t the deepest album out there, but it’s one of the most fun.
—Matt Charlton
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
