pseudofed

I have to admit, I was hooked on Pseudofed after seeing the ridiculous Facebook group photos, featuring a floppy-haired boy with orange pants, yellow sunglasses, a wheelbarrow and a keyboard (Nate Fowler). Pretty awesome. Perhaps that's not the most authentic way to choose a favorite artist, but I'm happy to report that Pseudofed's music turned out to be even better than its photo albums.

Listening to his new album Timely. Accurate. Compliant. Integrated., it's hard to believe this guy is an amateur. Hell, maybe he's not. Track three's "As Good As It Gets," with its Goldfrapp-y intro and catchy chorus, is the best pop-dance song I've heard since the radio hits on The Killers' Hot Fuss. And unlike some members of the electronica genre, Pseudofed can hold his own on the vocals, giving the album a pleasing, melodic feel. You'll find that singing along with these songs comes as naturally as bobbing your head to the beat (or waving your arms and throwing your rave-style glow stick in the air).

The closest thing to a ballad is "Better Living Through Chemistry," which pleads to an indifferent girlfriend and includes a guitar (breaking all the synth-music rules!). Quirky love-song "My Electric Robot Friends" features a funky rap (reminiscent of Blondie's "Rapture") with the wise line, "She's the type of girl that you don't take to the movies/She's the kind of girl you don't take out much/But it's no secret no more/They're just jealous of what I got." But this isn't an album you listen to on the couch. Textured with loopy sound effects, Timely plays like the aural embodiment of '80s cartoons: poppy! dancey! totally rad!

However retro his roots, this guy is clearly a product of its generation. Who else could write "The Middle School Dance Song"? But for the sake of current events, there's even a little Britney Spears shout-out at the beginning of "What Do You Please": in case you weren't sure by now, it's Pseudofed, bitches.