Music Review: Art Brut - "Art Brut vs. Satan"
7 / 10. Boozy British rockers deliver on third full-length album
Apr 23, 2009
Art Brut is somewhat of an anomaly when it comes to modern-day British bands.
Generally, British bands fall into one of two camps – the post-Oasis sweeping balladesque rock best exemplified by Coldplay or high-energy, Clash-influenced post-punk like Franz Ferdinand or Arctic Monkeys. Art Brut doesn’t really fall into either camp, but doesn’t tread too far from the latter.
They “Formed A Band”
In 2003, lead vocalist Eddie Argos formed Art Brut along with Ian Catskilkin (lead guitar), Freddy Feedback (bass), Jasper Future, (guitar, vocals) and Mikey Breyer (drums). Not long after, the band recorded their first single, “Formed A Band,” which triumphantly announced the band’s arrival in the British rock scene. Since, the band has recorded two critically praised albums, “Bang Bang Rock & Roll” in 2005 and “It’s a Bit Complicated” in 2007.
What separated Art Brut from the slew of British bands to emerge in the middle of the decade isn’t necessarily the band’s sound, which is fairly straightforward guitar-bass-drums rock ‘n’ roll, but the uber-clever and hilarious lyrics of Eddie Argos, the Brits answer to The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn. Like Finn, Argos doesn’t exactly sing. Rather, his vocal stylings are more along the lines of rhythmic talking in a thick British accent. And also like Finn, Argos likes his booze. A lot.
Eddie Argos’ clever lyrics highlight the album
Argos cleverly weaves his boozy narratives through the band’s latest album, “Art Brut vs. Satan.” The album begins with hangover anthem “Alcoholics Unanimous,” which begins with Argos waking up in a state of day-after confusion, sending a group text to all of the people he may have offended the night before.
Here, the band sets the tone for the rest of the album, a relentless rush of boozy rock ‘n’ roll goodness that is at war with factions (or Satan) trying to disrupt their mission, while ocassionally waking up and wonder if they were ever sane to begin with. Argos takes his shots at the likes of Brian Eno and Coldplay and claims, “The record buying public shouldn’t be voting,” on album highlight “Demons Out!”
Argos’ clever insight and unique vocal stylings make this an album worth paying attention to. On “Art Brut vs. Satan,” Argos establishes himself as quite possibly the funniest lyricist in rock ‘n’ roll. His tales of drunken mischief, like “Mysterious Bruises,” the laugh out loud funny tale of waking up confused and bruised after a hard night of drinking. “Is this a new bruise? Or has it been there forever? When did I do it? I can’t remember. I can’t remember anything I’ve done. I fought the floor and the floor won,” Argos sing/chants hysterically.
Strong vocals, predictable sound
While Argos has delivered his most compelling vocal performance to date, the rest of the band doesn’t show the same level of progress. The band’s straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll that accompanies Argos’ post-blackout vocals hasn’t changed much from the band’s first single, “Formed a Band.”
Sonically, the band sticks to a formula of guitar-bass-drum, verse-chorus-bridge-chorus that has been done countless times over the past 50 years. Take away Argos’ vocals on this album, and it would be difficult to tell which of the band’s three albums the song belongs on.
Ultimately, this album is worth listening to if only to hear what Argos has to say about the world around him. After establishing himself as a sarcastic, clever lyricist on the band’s first two albums, he takes the next step in a promising career. However, it would be nice if the rest of the band were able to keep pace from beginning to end.
Now, who wants to go to the pub?
