[3/5] Like their '80s-obsessed peers on both sides of the pond, Rock Kills Kid overlook the harsh political punk of the Reagan Era, choosing instead to replicate the decade's flashy discotheque beats and sparkly synth workouts. However, lyrically speaking, the Los Angeles quintet also pair some serious blog-style introspection with the retro-chic production gloss on their major-label debut--whether singer/guitarist Jeff Tucker is singing about crippling insomnia on the disco-pop tune "Midnight" or delving into paralyzing loneliness on the early Radiohead-style anthem "Hide Away." Are You Nervous? occasionally lapses into cheeseball territory (as when Tucker drops the lyric "All God's children are evil/Yeah, it sucks" over a techno-pop background), but the earnest heart behind the album never wavers. Call 'em a wallflower version of the Killers--or Duran Duran with LiveJournals and a Smiths obsession.
(FEARLESS/REPRISE) Annie Zaleski
 Official Website: http://www.fearlessrecords.com
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