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What lends Proof of Youth a whiff of genius is its ability to evoke exuberant innocence without making your teeth ache.
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Just when you're ready to give up and apply to graduate school, along comes a simple band who get everything right.
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Alternative PressThe Go! Team's folluow-up is densely packed enough to make Phil Spector's Wall feel like a screen door. [Oct 2007, p.160]
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Every fade-in and chord change on Proof of Youth is perfectly calibrated to make for seamless song-to-song transitions and for an album that seems to end entirely too quickly.
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Proof of Youth is a pretty spectacular continuation of some of the most exciting, innovative sounds around.
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Apparently, lightning does strike twice. It has for The Go! Team at any rate.
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Proof Of Youth does lack the immediacy that Thunder Lightning Strike possessed in spades, but that is not to its detriment. Ian Parton has done it again and made an addictive, memorable second album.
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If there's a criticism, it's that this rarely expands on the ideas of their debut: shouty kiddy-rapping, Motown samples, crashing drum loops. But when a band boasts such a unique sonic palette, "more of the same" surely ranks as a compliment.
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It's hard to pick a favorite track from the album. It simply all works on Proof of Youth.
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Proof draws its energy from dizzyingly tight full-band interaction, indelible melodies and deft arrangements that find fresh inspiration in Ian Parton's favorite sounds
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Proof of Youth is exhausting; otherwise its sweetness is irresistible.
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On Proof of Youth, the samples are made-to-order--Chuck D chips in on 'Flashlight Fight,' and Brazilian artist Marina Vello shows up on the riotous 'Titanic Vandalism.' Precious else has changed.
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BlenderRather than homogenizing his sources, Parton rubs them against each other. [Oct 2007, p.108]
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MagnetUltimately, only a churlish, dead-eyed cynic would refuse to be moved by this inspired mix of riotous noise and feel-good vibetasticness. [Fall 2007, p.93]
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The songs are mostly strong, but by the end, your legs stop kicking and your butt stops shaking.
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Proof of Youth is a satisfying sophomore effort.
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Proof still offers plenty of pep, but without its predecessor's ragtag charisma.
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Entertainment WeeklyYouth will delight newcomers to the Team--but it's a shame the group's sound is already stuck on repeat. [21 Sep 2007, p.84]
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His crafty postmodern bubblegum is a treat well worth chewing.
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Proof of Youth mostly recaptures the enthusiasm and unique sensibility of "Thunder Lightning Strike," further filling that niche for lo-fi sample-based old-school-noise-rap we never knew we needed filling.
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The Go! Team are clearly committed to the lo-fi, DIY aesthetic, but with songs as strong as these it’s rather a shame they didn’t apply a little depth and finesse to their production.
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It's the rare band that can switch from sampled music to live with no loss in riffage as they do here, and the almost-famous names who hitch themselves to Ninja's vocals do themselves a solid.
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It’s also an extremely solid record that comes highly recommended for any fan of its predecessor.
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Unsurprisingly, the most thrilling moments are the most genre-schizo.
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SpinLive instruments have replaced the samples that fueled their debut, resulting in a more fluid, if still absurdly amateurish, sound. [Oct 2007, p.104]
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Proof Of Youth was made for rolling back the years and the rug, not chin-stroking contemplation. If shredded Axminster was The Go! Team's aim here, then mission well and truly accomplished.
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Proof of Youth can be awfully fun and should go over like gangbusters live, but listeners seeking depth or clarity in this hyperactive pastiche will come away disappointed
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Under The RadarAlthough this album is certainly a continuation of the debut, especially in terms of the pushing-red production, it has enough appealing songs to keep the band in the spotlight. [Fall 2007, p.79]
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Maybe I've become too familiar with what they’re trying to achieve--but right now there’s nothing here to make me instantly love this record.
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UrbWhether live or memorex, it's really hard to tell the difference between the two, especially on excellent if-it-ain't-broke tracks like 'Fake ID' and 'Doing it Right.' [Sep/Oct 2007, p.130]
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It may be exactly what fans have been waiting for, but you have to wonder how long the band can keep using the same templates.
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MojoThe tune count is down and it's sometimes a little too Mr. Motivator, but these sonic smiles can still be infectious. [Oct 2007, p.106]
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Q MagazineEven at just over 30 minutes, there's a feeling they're running short on new ideas. [Oct 2007, p.98]
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On an album where even the guest stars feel like samples worn out from repeated play--the back cover announces the song 'Flashlight Fight (Featuring Chuck D)'--the few innovative tracks offer hope that the Go! Team won't stagnate by its third outing.
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VibeWhile there's something joyful in the cacophony, the songs remain window dressing on the spectacle. [Oct 2007, p.94]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 18 out of 23
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Mixed: 2 out of 23
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Negative: 3 out of 23
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Feb 4, 2014I actually like this movie, the only one major issue I have with it is its name. If it were up to me I would have called it "Around Great Youth Power"
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RogerS.Sep 19, 2007
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DanB.Sep 19, 2007Brilliant. This band is without peer or precedent.