Best EP of the Year: Black Kids – Wizard of Ahhhs

For the most part, I don’t spend much time with EPs, those dainty pockets of songs either not good enough to place on a band’s full-length, or chock full of label-mate remixes not really appropriate for a proper release. But when one as amazing as Black Kids Wizard of Ahhhs, a toe-test available for free download on their MySpace site (sadly, this is no longer available) that piqued enormous interest from indie labels and bloggers with too much time on their hands … well, this is one of those rare incidents when the EP is the perfect fit and anything but a judgment call on its contents. A playful blend of Reggie Youngblood’s lackadaisical coos, pinned between the Cure’s Robert Smith and New Order-inflected synth-dance and wobbly basslines, Wizard captures a solidarity not often found in bands as young as this, much less with so little time on the road to whet such a distinct sound. No doubt there’s plenty of push from whatever label finally nabs them (and themselves, I’m sure) to pull together their proper debut, and perhaps even make a buck off it this time. But here’s hoping they’ll take their time to coax into creation a follow-up worthy of Wizard’s youthful flair, and take a cue from Sea Wolf’s too-hasty blunder this year. It could mean the difference between being one of the best albums of the year (if not in ‘08, then whenever they’re able) and a lamentable let-down.