The Ting Tings
We Started Nothing
Columbia
By David Chiu
Call it melodic and whimsical British punky pop. That’s what dominates the sound on this British duo’s debut We Started Nothing. For the most part it’s made up of funky lo-fi dance tunes, particularly “Shut Up and Let Me Go,” “Be The One,” and “That’s Not My Name. Yet a simple ditty such as the waltz-like “Traffic Light” and the pretty intro to “We Walk” add to the record’s occasional left turns. Vocalist Katie White has sass and attitude in her delivery—she sings like a disciple of Deborah Harry and Missing Persons’ Dale Bozzio. It’s not a distinctive album but overall We Started Nothing is still infectiously upbeat.
