Los Campesinos! have all the makings for another crappy pop band. They gained their following and signed a record deal off the success of their MySpace profile, they shared an exclamation point with Panic at the Disco, their song titles are as long as Fall Out Boy's and they have a xylophone.
The band is differentiated, though, by their self-awareness on their latest release _Hold on Now Youngster..._. In You! Me! Dancing!"", frontman Gareth Campesinos! tells us, ""It's sad that you think we're all just scenesters / And even if we were, it's not the scene you're thinking of."" We shouldn't look at them in comparison to their MySpace contemporaries because they aren't your typical MySpace buzz band. They don't listen to Green Day; they listen to Pavement. Mainly, the difference is that Los Campesinos don't suck.
On ""It Started With a Mixx"" from last summer's underappreciated _Sticking Fingers Into Sockets_ EP, Campesinos described well thought-out music as ""trying to find the perfect line between pretentious and pop."" The realization of group personality and anonymity of the members music is something emphasized by some bands, but often overlooked by modern MySpace bands, and this realization helps make their infectious spaz-pop sound both genuine and enjoyable.
Part of the allure of Los Campesinos! is their honest efforts to create a connection between themselves and the listener. In ""...And We Exhale and Roll Our Eyes in Unison,"" they diagnose the problem that ""four sweaty boys with guitars tell me nothing about my life."" Instead, this group of seven sweaty mix-gendered artists commits to writing songs that only reflect their personalities, which often focuses on wry observations of pop culture. In ""We Are All Accelerated Readers,"" Gareth sings, ""And no more conversations about which Breakfast Club Character you'd be / I'd be the one that dies (no one dies) / Well then what's the point?""
""Knee Deep at ATP"" chronicles the story of a broken heart. Gareth discovers signs like an underexposed picture in which he makes out ""His K Records T-shirt and you holding his hand."" And as the clues come to fruition and the heartbreak builds, so does the backing music, creating a culminating effect in which the listener gets caught up in the mess and can almost feel the frustration and despair the singer is trying to relay. By including the audience in its emotions, Los Campesinos! show another part of their appeal: It's a communal experience.
Los Campesinos! are the ultimate group project. Alone, Gareth's squawking vocals could be too harsh, and the vocals of Aleksandra Campesinos! too smooth and generic. No one instrument would be enough to stand on its own. Without the balance of every part in its place, the end result would be a jumble of unrealized hooks. But the group's cohesiveness and producer Dave Newfeld (Broken Social Scene) help to tie each part together, prominently showcasing each melody.
Los Campesinos! haven't created a new sound or even started a new trend on _Hold on Now Youngster..._, but their candidness and infectious hooks rank them above most other pop bands and should ultimately make them your new favorite band.
