This a record of and for a moment. And because of many. It’s a result of love, or rather loss and inadequacy, but – and here’s the good part – it’s a big lummin’ oh-fuck-it celebration of those things, not a lament. We get chance to laugh with and at chief protagonist Eddie Argos, but most of the time we want to throw our arms around him. And it takes a true knack to inspire that kind of affinity. It’s also a result of basting in popular culture since they can’t remember and finding a voice to be heard over its clatter. And everybody knows the best kind of voice is one that can make you laugh or cry or best of all both back-to-back. Art Brut may have literally formed a band overnight, and the thrill of their existence may very much be in the moment, but this is something much much richer than just that. On the most basic level ‘Bang Bang Rock & Roll’ is a spunky punk record with some quirky lyrics. But it is more likely to be remembered as one of the most uniquely creative pop creation of the past few years, transcending the culture that they rally against.
As a band they’re like The Fall gargling in a vat of e-numbers, vibrant, intoxicating and direct, but the real value of this record is to be found in Mr Argos’ presence at the helm. He brings sarcastic craft to his observations on life, love and culture. He’s a lyrical stand-up comic who we expect would be successful without the musical backing, but is driven to giddy heights by it. You could call him a wiseass, but his delivery is poetic and his timing immaculate, which makes him kind of immune from those kinds of accusations. And the fact that he’s nearly always speaking The Truth. He feels too of himself to be an equal to anyone who’s come before, but there are similarities to be drawn with Jarvis Cocker and Mark E Smith. But then they didn’t have Eddie Argos’ agenda, so those comparisons are by and large immaterial.
The best thing to do here would probably be to regale you with some of his finer couplets. Take opening track and debut single, ‘Formed A Band’, which is full of them: “Honeypie, I don’t know when it started, stop buying your albums from the supermarket, they only sell records that have charted, and Art Brut, we’ve only just started”, and “we’re going to be the band, that writes the song, that makes Israel and Palestine get along”. On ‘Modern Art’, all about getting excited about modern art (“it makes me want to rock out! Whoooooo!”), he announces that “I’m in the Pompidou,” masterful dramatic pause, “that’s in Paris”. In mulling over the possibility of ‘Moving To L.A.’ he decides that “everything’s going to be just fine, I hear the murder rate, it’s in decline” and considers “drinking Hennessey with Morrissey”. But these are just words on a page. You should get a copy of the album and hear how he sings them right at you.