I’m sure that some people might consider the fuzzed-out, lo-fi aesthetic of Times New Viking to be rather hipster-kitschy, overly trendy, and altogether unsustainable, but I’m not sure I could ever be friends with such folks. Simply put, I am an uproarious fan of what this outfit does, right down to its irrepressible, unstoppable, punk-flavored work ethic. More importantly, this trio knows exactly where it stands in relation to rock music history—it knows how to pay homage to its stylistic forebears without sounding like a rip-off while being able to serve as a shining beacon of how thoroughly enjoyable dirty garage-pop can be.

After delighting critics and fans alike in 2008 with Rip It Off, Times New Viking has returned with a fifteen-track effort entitled Born Again Revisited. The sounds are the same—sludgy, muffled guitars, vocals, and drums, all performed with unabashed rock-n-roll glee—but the group has embraced pop music more vigorously than before, complete with regular organ fills and trills piercing the over-driven guitar muck to create this delightful ’60s-ish flair. Song construction is a bit brighter at times, and the teenaged sneers have been reduced to reveal an attitude that’s equal parts menacing punk glower and impish pop smirk.

For me, the incessant appeal of Times New Viking is the furious level of fun the band seems to be having with its music. Furthermore, it’s necessary to understand that these are three very capable musicians, despite the overt pretense of hiding behind a dense wall of feedback and lo-fi production tricks. Because in the end, when you can pen such gems as “No Time, No Hope,” “City On Drugs,” “(No) Sympathy,” and “Move To California,” tonal clarity and/or post-production mastering could be seen as a bit excessive and unnecessary. If Thurston and Kim didn’t need it in the ‘80s, then TNV doesn’t need it now.

Everyone is (rightly) raving about the blissfully angsty sour candy pop being made by the Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. The twist here is that Times New Viking is making the exact same sort of music, yet the group decided to let each of its songs frolic in a grimy, sandy mud pit before putting them to tape. Born Again Revisited is an outstanding pop record that’s full of the sort of heart, grit, and emotional vulnerability to which most 20-somethings can all relate (without all of the unfortunate navel-gazing that plagues emo and folk music). Sophomore slump begone!

[review by guest contributor Adam P. Newton]

Times New Viking “No Time, No Hope” (mp3)

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Also: Times New Viking @ Walker Summer Movies & Music