Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock 'n" Roll

  by Adam Wood

published: 18 / 5 / 2005

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Review

The sordid, lazy brilliance of South London scamps Art Brut has finally got its act together to commit to a full length player. Literally meaning ‘Outsider Art’ Art Brut are a band that revel in their creative idler status, having taken well over a year to cobble together thirty five minutes of Art School irony. 'Bang Bang Rock and Roll' is almost too clever for its own good, being positively brimming with the dry witticisms of front lead singer Eddie Argos, a modern day Oscar Wilde only with rather more cider than sodomy. Though often accused of banality, Art Brut have perfected arty punk pop. Solid, stomping rhythms fit wonderfully into place alongside Chris Chinchilla’s infectious guitar hook. Tracks like ‘Good Weekend’ epitomise Art Brut’s laissez faire attitude, a relentless toy soldier drum beat gives way to an effortlessly cool riff of ‘Louie Louie’ proportions, rounded off with Argos’ boyish declaration of his new girlfriend, that “I’ve seen her naked, TWICE!” The latest single ‘Emily Kane’ has been touted by indie impresario Zane Lowe and by past master Steve Lamacq, a bittersweet reminisce about Eddie Argos’ lost school sweetheart in which he proclaims to her “I want school kids on buses, singing your name.” A clear example of Art Brut’s uniquely British modern art approach to classic pop, and that for their posings and hangers on (lambasted on the title track of the album) Art Brut have something very rare, an unexasperated spirit of Rock and Roll. Their shouty post modernist sloganeering is always counteracted by Eddie Argos’ youthful vocal vigour, none more apparent than on the track ‘Modern Art.’ Though they come with immaculate references from all the right places, they don’t come with the baggage, rather the only thing Art Brut really want is for people to listen when they scream “Look at us! We formed a band!”

Track Listing:-

1 Subliminal Desire for Adventure
2 Formed A Band
3 My Little Brother
4 Emily Kane
5 Rusted Guns Of Milan
6 Modern Art
7 Good Weekend
8 Bang Bang Rock & Roll
9 Fight!
10 Moving To L.A.
11 Bad Weekend
12 Stand Down
13 18,000 Lira