With a name like Kid Mud, I was expecting hipster white rap with sterile beats, but that’s not what I found on Now They Shut Us Down, the San Francisco artist’s debut. Instead, it’s tight indie pop (a la Rasmus, Rogue Wave).
“1095,” the first real song on the record, is fluffy and fun, with good vocals and a great hook. “Not Far, New Far,” is a sweet acoustic duet, quiet, catchy, and cool. “Number 12 Looks Just Like You” is a more aggressive, radio-ready workout song. Long form song “909 Garden” features Jim Ruiz, and shows that Kid Mud can do “works” as well as pop songs. It’s a continually changing record that is both surprising and familiar–as all good pop should be.
PLUS: Music Induced Euphoria has an excellent Strokes bootleg!
