Home > Washington D.C. Music > CD Review > The Ting Tings, 'We Started Nothing'

Backstory: You know that catchy CSS song on the recent iPod commercial? Well, uh, it’s not CSS—it’s the Ting Tings, a U.K. duo with a No. 1 hit in their homeland (“That’s Not My Name”) and some serious stateside buzz.
 
Why you should care: “That’s Not My Name” may be as dumb as a box of hammers (“They call me Hell, they call me Stacey, they call me Her, they call me Jane, that’s not my name!”), but the New Wave ditty has an indelible hook and a whole lot of attitude, thanks to sassy frontwoman Katie White. Tacky Casio keyboards, girl-group choruses, slinky grooves (the equally dumb/fun “Fruit Machine”) and a little bit of rawk (“Shut Up and Let Me Go”) help propel the album beyond its (hopefully purposely) shallow façade.
 
Verdict: Deliciously artificial pop…just like chugging a Vimto!
 
X-Factor: The band got its initial buzz by throwing a serious of (literal) house parties that soon attracted A&R types and, of all people, Columbia Records head and super-producer Rick Rubin.

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