Matt and Kim: Grand

Label: Fader Label

Matt sings and plays keyboards; Kim plays drums and adds vocals. And in a lot of ways, it really is that simple! But what’s made Matt and Kim one of NYC’s most popular acts is their unrestrained jubilence in making clap-along, sing-along, shout-along and dance-along modern pop music. Grand is their second proper album (and first for the Fader magazine’s in-house label) and if it offers few surprises, the duo’s legion of fans probably weren’t looking for them anyway. What is abundant on Grand is Matt and Kim’s signature energy and effusively catchy tunes—11 of them in under 30 minutes, by which point you’ll likely be exhausted from bouncing around your apartment anyway. Pulling out the best songs is kind of hard, but “Daylight,” “Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare” and the oddly Zombiesesque “Turn This Boat Around” each show some growth in Matt and Kim’s songwriting on top of that unmistakable energy. (M.L. Thrope)