It's written on the wall that you're sexy in Sheffield

Ey up! There was one band in town this CMJ season that seems to have eluded the blogosphere. It mystifies me, since this is a band that I discovered over the internet, and they're all much more up on things than I am.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Little Man Tate (myspace). I can hear you ask, "Isn't that a Jodie Foster movie?" Well, yes. It's that too. Dare I say that the band is better than the movie? It's certainly a lot more fun.

Hailing from the hamlet of Sheffield, most notably home of the Arctic Monkeys, though some of us prefer to think of it as the place that spawned Def Leppard, the band in its present incarnation sings raucous, raunchy, irreverent songs about the things they know best: drinking, parties, girls, relationships, sex, flirting, cross-dressing, lesbianism, texting, drinking, oh, and boobs. The irony is that if you have the good fortune to get a chance to speak to the guys in the band, singer Jon Windle, guitarist Maz (don't you love the one word names?), bassist Ben Surtees, and drummer Dan Fields, they are just like their songs.

The first song of theirs I ever heard was "Sexy in Latin," and it's still probably my favorite. I still wonder what "It's written on the wall that your sexy in Latin" means exactly, but who cares when the songs is so much fun to sing along to. Live, it takes on a whole new dimension, as you can't help but dance, and are treated to singer Jon Windle's acting out the song with hand motions. "Man I Hate Your Band" has one of the best sing-along-choruses in a long time, with every person sympathizing with the sentiment and thinking of their own pet peeve band. "What? What You Got" features one of those perfect musical moments--you know what I'm talking about--when the guitar joins into the bass intro. It's magic, I tell you. "Down On Marie" is a dance fest with an almost Southern Rock feel to it. "Hello Miss Lovely (So You Like My Jeans)" is a sweet homage to the misinformation and miscommunication that goes on between the sexes. "Just Can't Take It" has the loveliest jangly guitars, almost sounding a wee bit bluegrass. "House Party At Boothy's" memorializes the parties thrown by a mate of theirs back in Sheffield.

They played three shows in New York, and I nearly made it to all of them, but best laid plans and all. The first thing that struck me when they took the stage was, "Hey, they're a lot more dressed up then the last time I saw them." Though they profess not to care about being cool and all that, I suppose when you come to a place like NYC you want to put your best foot forward. And they did. Sometimes literally, stepping out onto a table, or into the crowd. We were treated to two new songs (or at least ones I hadn't heard before), "Little Big Man" and standout "European Lover." (I would love the lyrics to that one. Actually, to all of them.)

As if their stage performance and music wasn't entertaining enough, chatting with them after was worth the price of admission. They're famous for being extremely fan-friendly, and very hands-on with their internet following, including the names of all members who had joined their forum by 2005 on the back of the single, "The Agent." You can see why they inspire so much devotion. They'll buy you a drink. There's good-natured ribbing. They have genuine interest in you, where you're from, what you have to say. They'll give you a back rub. Maybe go do karaoke with you. And it doesn't stop with them; their crew is the nicest you could ever hope to encounter, even remembering you and greeting you like old friends the next time you see them.

So check them out. Listen to the songs. Go see them when they're back here. (I've got it on good authority they'll be back in March for SXSW.) You might even get a massage.

Trust me, though, this is one bandwagon you want to get on. It's too bad you can't rent them on dvd, like the Jodie Foster version.