The growing trend in post-millennial Brit-pop bands seems to favor embracing the style's inherent disposability. Rather than going for a Damon Albarn-like arc of stylistic exploration, more and more U.K. bands are shooting for that one great three-minute pop single that overshadows everything else they will ever do: the Kaiser Chiefs' "I Predict a Riot," Dogs Die in Hot Cars' "I Love You 'Cause I Have To," the Fratellis' "Flathead," Little Man Tate's "Man, I Hate Your Band," et-bloody-cetera. In the case of the Wombats, the three-minutes pop single in question is "Let's Dance to Joy Division," a genuinely swell bit of tongue in cheek /p>
ew wave revivalism that's by far the best part of the Liverpool trio's debut album. In the tradition of fellow Scousers the Scaffold or Half Man Half Biscuit, there's a heavy dose of humor to the Wombats, who started out as much an improv comedy/performance art act as they were a pop band. Indeed, the album starts with the nowhere near as clever as it thinks it is doo wop pastiche "Tales of Girls, Boys and Marsupials" before righting itself with the spunky pop-punk of "Kill the Director." Jokey material like the herky-jerky ode to schoolboy crushes "School Uniforms" and the self-consciously smutty tale of unrequited love "Patricia the Stripper" lowers the overall tone. It's not that there's anything wrong with humor in music -- Madness, one of the Wombats' most obvious touchstones, wrote some hilarious songs -- it's just that the funny songs are neither particularly side-splitting nor particularly tuneful. Songs like "Backfire at the Disco" balance the yuks with catchier melodies and less of a sense that these guys are one step away from putting on moose-antler hats and giant sunglasses. The Wombats may surprise us all and turn out to be a band for the ages (did anyone really think Beck would turn out to be one of the great songwriters of his generation the first time they heard "Loser"?), but the just-for-a-larf vibe of A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation suggests otherwise.
So two gigs in a fucked up week, thankfully. Hooray for escapism, eh. ;)Anyway, the week started with a gig by The Wombats,supported by the Dutch band NeWax. Kudos to NeWax for getting the crowd all warmed up, and for their progression as well. Last time I saw them it was a bit too gimicky, now they really sounded good musically.But The Wombats. Lets get the cat out of the bag right away, The W...
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Naming your band after an animal seems like the way to go. But why the sleepy little chubby Australian marsupial? The Wombats, that is, are a British band from Liverpool made up of two Englishmen and a Norwegian. Ranging influences from Hefner, Depeche Mode to Architecture In Helsinki, they draw comparisons to We Are Scientists. It's cheesy pop rock that makes you grin, call it a guilty pleasur...
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These tunes are taken from their 2007 Release "A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation" which I found to be quite an engaging listen with hints of early Who teenage angst woven in and out. Nothing too cerebral - strictly hormonal :-)Very refreshing.Murph, Dan and Tord met in 2003 while attending Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute Of Performing Arts. They even received a music tutorial by Sir Paul...
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Naming your band after an animal seems like the way to go. But why the sleepy little chubby Australian marsupial? The Wombats, that is, are a British band from Liverpool made up of two Englishmen and a Norwegian. Ranging influences from Hefner, Depeche Mode to Architecture In Helsinki, they draw comparisons to We Are Scientists. It's cheesy pop rock that makes you grin, call it a guilty pleasur...
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29th part of my ongoing look at the music that made liverpool great.liverpool bands have produced some of the best music ever,every week i’m going to post a song/video from a group or singer from liverpool some popular and some not so popularthis week it’s The WombatsThe Wombats - Let's Dance to Joy Division The Wombats are a three-piece indie band from Liverpool, England. They comprise two na
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So two gigs in a fucked up week, thankfully. Hooray for escapism, eh. ;)Anyway, the week started with a gig by The Wombats,supported by the Dutch band NeWax. Kudos to NeWax for getting the crowd all warmed up, and for their progression as well. Last time I saw them it was a bit too gimicky, now they really sounded good musically.But The Wombats. Lets get the cat out of the bag right away, The W...
More >
--- - |- Who : The Wombats from Liverpool. What : Really thought I needed to mention these guys today. They were supposed to be playing Toronto's Virgin Fest this weekend, but I just got word that they had to cancel. I guess I'll just have to wait again. Song : Kill The Director . Here's a video of them playing [...] ~~- The Wombats
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 "A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation")
