I'm Listening To - "We Started Nothing", The Ting Tings, 2008

This is a long overdue entry about my favorite new band of 2008 and my favorite CD of the year so far - The Ting Tings' "We Started Nothing".

Why the two different cover images on this post? Well, I didn't realize until today (when I looked at Amazon's US site) that this CD has a different cover in the UK from the one released in the US. Our version here in the UK is on the left, while what you see on the right is the American variant. You have to wonder why the difference. Maybe it's because many UK fans have seen a lot of images of Katie White and Jules De Martino already, but the US fans have perhaps not had the same exposure to this very clever two-some?

It's possible that the only exposure that Americans might have had to the duo, before their CD was released, was from their song "Shut Up and Let Me Go" - it was used on one of the TV ads for iPods/iTunes.

John and I first heard about the Ting Tings from an episode of Jools Holland's "Later..." TV program which we saw, I think, back in December 2007. They performed "That's Not My Name". We were absolutely hooked from the first listen. John even got to see them perform live in Oxford recently.

This CD is pure, joyous pop. I usually am not so attracted to pop music like this. But this sound is so fresh and innovative. If I could describe their music in a few words, I'd say that it's the kind of stuff that makes you want to dance and sing along - and can lift your spirits no matter how blue you might feel. It's intelligent pop music.

Without question, my favorite cut is "That's Not My Name". It's so addictive that I find myself 'soundtracking' it all the time. But the entire CD is just great, so give it a listen - if you haven't already!

Favorite bit of lyric?

"Make a decision
A precondition
We got the choice
If it all goes wrong
We walk, we walk
We walk, we walk"

Oh, and I wonder if it's true, as reported in the Wikipedia article about the Ting Tings, that their name came from the name of one of Katie's co-workers at a Chinese restaurant?


Janet