Matt & Kim

Matt & Kim are indie rockers, through and through. The pair, who met while attending NY's artsy Pratt Institute, recorded Grand at Matt's grandparents' crib in Vermont, and they aren't trying to adhere to standards and structures that define popular music. Instead, M&K (Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino on their drivers licenses) traffic in left-of-center, synthy alternative rock and post-punk. They're the epitome of Brooklyn hipster music. But that's not a sleight on M&K. It's actually to their credit that they can emit a hipster vibe without annoying the shit out of the non-hipsters. Grand presents itself as a record that was crafted without any grand master scheme or game plan; rather, it comes off as though its creators went with their gut and emotions and trapped them on tape.

Matt & Kim have amassed a dedicated following via the web and they've satiated this horde with simplistic compositions that not only smile, but will force a smile on your face, as well. We dare you to avoid tapping your toes or bobbing your head to most of the melodies collected on the album!

Ultimately, Grand will burrow under your skin on the strength of goofy, not-exactly-precious, drum and synth songs like "Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare," "Lessons Learned" and "Spare Change." Matt & Kim fill their tunes with handclaps, keyboards, light guitars and harmonies that are steered by Matt's adenoidal vocal style and peppered with Kim's soft 'n' sexy purring. Grand is lo-fi and low key. It also never takes itself too seriously, which renders the record buoyant and a treat to listen to. The production is minimal, further upping the "real" quotient of the songs. Matt & Kim do what they like on Grand, without any obvious rhyme or reason and they float to the surface with songs that'll make you want to dance like no one is watching and without a care in the world.

— Amy Sciarretto
01.21.09

"I'm feeling restless; don't slow down!" advises Matt Johnson during Grand, the hyperkinetic follow-up to Matt & Kim's hyperkinetic debut. Grand makes good use of that advice, sandwiching 11 songs into a half-hour blast of snare hits and bouncing, buzzing synthesizer riffs. Johnson handles the bulk of the vocal duties, singing every song in a nasal, nerd-chic tenor while overdubbing his own harmonies. Yet it's the chemistry between Johnson and his partner, drummer Kim Schifino, that largely fuels the band's energy, even if Schifino's presence is somewhat muted by the album's beefed-up production (which polishes her wild percussion into tight, precise beats -- not necessarily a poor decision, but far from representative of her live musicianship). Building off the template established by the band's debut, Matt & Kim aim for the middle point between sugared melody and punked-out swagger, making room for flourishes of stomp-clap percussion, dancefloor electronics, and jingle-worthy progressions. Grand isn't as majestic as its name suggests, with only a handful of songs moving past the anxious minimalism that permeated the last album. For returning fans, though, Grand provides a familiar brand of punk music for happy people, for lovebirds, for those who wish Mates of State had more swagger and less glockenspiel. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide