Teenage Scream

In the constant interplay of pop music styles, musicians create unlikely hybrids, unconcerned with the strange juxtapositions, or even reveling in them, all of which is a way of introducing That's Outrageous!, a sextet that, from its name to its music, sets out to startle and mostly succeeds. Simply put, the band asks the musical question, what would it sound like if you mashed together an ‘80s-style dance-pop outfit like, say, Sigue Sigue Sputnik with a death metal group? That's what you get on Teenage Scream, as uptempo keyboard-based pop songs featuring an earnest adenoidal singer musing about his romantic feelings are invaded by thunderous heavy metal rhythms and a death metal howler hurling his rage over the tracks. It's all somewhat in jest, as song titles like "So, I'm Thinking of Starting a Clothing Line..." and "Re:Why I Killed My Girlfriend" indicate. And it has an "anything goes" quality, as the musicians are as likely to toss in a bit of rap as to break down to an acoustic piano solo. It may be outrageous, but it's also entertaining. ~ William Ruhlmann