Punk-rock band delivers tepid tunes

By Nate Seltenrich

Forget about the silly name, for Hot Hot Heat is no cheap joke. These post-punk art-rockers from Canada have composed a 32 minute punchline in "Make up the Breakdown."

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Hot Hot Heat wants to be different. From the aching "Naked in the City Again" to the poppish "Oh, Goddammit" to the mellow "In Cairo," Hot Hot Heat proudly flaunts their self-consciously distinctive style from start to stop.

However, despite every attempt to do something innovative, Hot Hot Heat often ends up sounding like nothing more than the bizarre lovechild of The Strokes and The Cure. Although that may not seem like such a bad thing, the band appears to have some issues with mommy and daddy.

To be fair, track seven, "This Town" and track eight, "Talk to Me, Dance with Me" provide a stirring mid-album stimulant that makes me feel guilty for ever saying anything derogatory about these earnest Victorian Islanders.

But by the end of the album, somehow the joke that began as the latest side splitter from the class clown becomes the yarn your uncle spins every time you see him. Even after only half an hour, songs begin to blend together and the harshness of lead singer Steve Bay's voice becomes simply harsh.

The perfect joke requires impeccable timing, flawless delivery and shocking novelty. It's hard to say where exactly Hot Hot Heat went wrong with this one, but Im sure not laughing with them. C