The Go! team: Thunder, Lightning, Strike

Herald rating: * * * *

Huddle Formation, the second to last track on this remarkable album, sums up the Go! Team. Its schoolyard chants, catchy, cacophonous tune, and head-and-hip shaking beats are simply about people - in this case, six boys and girls from Brighton - having fun with music.

There's not too much written about this lot yet and the album sleeve is less than helpful with it's handwritten notes. But it just adds to their intrigue.

At one moment they're harking back to a time reminiscent of Motown or early Michael Jackson on Ladyflash, then on to a short thrashing beat fest like Get It Together, and then a Sugarhill Gang-era rap accompanied by harmonica on Bottle Rocket. Chuck in a bit of cruisy hillbilly funk with some Sonic Youth noise and that's the Go! Team.

Their curious mix of samples, live instruments, harmonica, and most noticeably, girly-style shouted vocals, makes this album a unique, poppy, and loveable little gem.


Label: Shock