The New School, The Tough Alliance's award-winning debut full-length originally released in Sweden, now makes its North American debut in the form of an expanded release that also includes thier first EPs, "Holiday" and "Make It Happen" [as well as three hi-res music videos].  This album will be the North American precursor to A New Chance, the end-of-year list-dominating album to be released simultaneously in Canada by Summer Lovers Unlimited and internationally by Modular.

 

The New School is a thrilling showcase of TTA's early, more rough-hewn experimentations with pop songwriting and structure.  These songs, while having plenty of TTA's trademark sonic sweep and grandeur, feautre more straight-up raw electro-pop ripe for the dancefloor - very much of a framework for their later works - hinting strongly at the musical development that would express itself on subsequent releases New Waves [which also debuted stateside on SLU] and A New Chance.

 

This album also serves as the foundation on which The Tough Alliance would base the steadfast sentiments and philosophies that run deeply through all of their work - prime among these themes being brotherhood, escapism, joy, the celebration of youth, and purity of expression.  The standout songs from The New School, "My Hood," "Koka-Kola Veins," and "Holiday" are perfect examples of TTA's gift for making fiercely intelligent, political music that is yet unabashedly populist and accessible, working both on superficial and interpretive levels.  The opening sample of "Koka-Kola Veins" is an excerpt or a speech given by situationist Guy DeBord, who TTA have long alligned themselves with politically.  From start to finish, The New School is anthemic, riotous, and subversive, but slyly and understadely so.  So crucical.

 

                                      4.  Make it Happen

                                      5.  My Hood                                                  

                                      6.  Koka-Kola Veins                                         
                                      7.  Babylon                                                 
                                      8.  Keep it Pure                                             
                                      9.  Holiday

                                      10. Forever Utd.
                                      11. Take No Heroes

                                      12. I'll Be Right There