This is a song I almost missed. Thankfully, my friend Faith asked me last month if I would be interested in seeing Innerpartysystem, which led them to a slot in my car’s CD changer. I had never heard of them (or hadn’t paid enough attention for them to register on my radar). Now I’m pretty smitten, and not just because they’re local. Plus, in a matter of hours, I will be seeing them, so I figured I would take this opportunity to share them with you.

Innerpartysystem is from the Reading, PA area. This probably makes no difference to 98% of you, but I grew up shopping in Reading malls and my Dad’s friend lives in what Wiki lists as their hometown. So it gives me some sense of hometown pride that such an awesome band is gaining national attention and at the same time referencing things that make sense to Pennsylvanians like myself (for example, the video mentions “The Road to Nowhere,” which has been part of our lexicon since I was little. The chick is right, you can’t make that shit up).

I’ve been trying to think of how to describe this song, the first track of their full length self-titled release, all day. I feel like whereas Girl Talk provides a heterogeneous mixture of music I like, Innerpartysystem creates a homogeneous blend of bands I’ve listened to through the years. I hear hints of Nine Inch Nails, OMD, Depeche Mode, The Faint, Orgy and even Patrick Nissley’s vocals remind me slightly of Brendon Urie (Panic at the Disco) in that he annunciates pretty yet pensive lyrics. I’m not going to lie, sometimes his voice makes me melt a little. And even though I can compare IPS to all those bands, their sound is truly unique to me. They are not too electronic and not too alternative.

The song is danceable, and some take it as a party anthem, but it’s darker than that. The first verse claims, “nothing’s too excessive / when you’ve got nothing left,” and the rest of the song kind of illustrates an emptiness felt from losing control. Judging by their other songs and videos, the band isn’t exactly condoning the hard-partying behavior. They don’t seem to be a fan of plastic people, so I guess this means that we won’t be seeing Rock of Love with Patrick Nissley in 10 years.

I have to admit that it was difficult for me to pick this song, but I thought I would because it was their second single. I’m partial to the songs “New Poetry” and “Obsession.” IPS has also remixed several popular songs including Katy Perry’s Hot’N'Cold (I’m sorry if I butchered the title, but they at least were able to improve the song. Thanks, IPS!), Ladyhawke’s “Paris is Burning” and Radiohead’s “Nude.” Yes, just in case IPS was worried I wouldn’t like them, they remixed my favorite band.

So, I’m pretty excited for tonight and I hope you all enjoy Innerpartysystem.

Embedding disabled, so please view “Die Tonight Live Forever” out on YouTube. Watch some of their other videos, too.

Here is a commercial for their “Don’t Stop” single: