Hubris

In the first song from their debut album, Art Brut set the record straight when singer Eddie Argos declares “And yes, this IS my singing voice, and it’s not irony”. What it is, however, is more talking than singing, something half way between The Streets and Arab Strap, with a little Jarvis Cocker thrown in.

The story-telling is fantastically over the top, with ‘Formed a Band’ talking of how they want to write a song that will make Israel and Palestine get along and ‘Emily Kane’ being a lament for a long lost first girlfriend, that he hopes to find through making the song so successful that school kids start chanting her name on buses. Meanwhile ‘Rusted Guns of Milan’ is a tribute to impotence, with Argos assuring his partner that they’re beautiful, and a chant-along chorus of “I know I can, I know I can”.

The music, meanwhile is danceable rock of the kind that the U.K is excelling in lately – think Kaiser and Franz, et all. You may have trouble dancing to it though because you might be rolling around on the floor going “oh it’s funny cos it’s true” instead. Rock Rock Bang Bang is a hilariously good time.
4/5

Pulp