On its third album, Art Brut follows the bumper sticker wisdom of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Not one to let an inner monologue go unshouted, lead singer Eddie Argos is still chatterboxing away about girls, music and drudgery as if he’s reading random bits from someone’s Twitter stream (“How have I only just discovered the Replacements?” “I love public transportation!”). Musically, the album’s urgent dance-punk benefits from production by Frank Black, who eschewed Art Brut’s usual laborious studio process for a streamlined 12 days of recording. The best tracks here incorporate electric-shock guitars and a chest-thumping rhythm section that praise immediacy (“Slap Dash For No Cash.”) and physicality (“What A Rush”) over deep thought. Little surprise then that the album’s slower, more ponderous tracks (“Am I Normal” and “Mysterious Bruises,” the latter of which runs more than seven minutes) suggest that Art Brut works best when it keeps things short and sweet.
- TAGS:
- Entertainment
- Music
Mar 21, 2010
