Art Brut

by Jessica Gentile • May 13, 2009

Art Brut
Art Brut vs. Satan
(Downtown, 2009)

Art Brut makes music about the music they love. Art Brut vs. Satan is an ode to various strains of the punk and indie scenes, as well as the DIY ethos that spur them. Heavily accented Brit Eddie Argos waxes lyrical about the lo-fi aesthetic to the point of romanticism, but rightfully so. "Slap dash for no cash, those are the records I like / Why would you wanna sound like U2? Just press record and play it straight through!" he exuberantly wails. After all, it's the raw background noises, the crack in the singer's voice, the fingers on the fretboard, the seething of the tape hiss that add glimmers of humanity, not to mention reality, to the music we adore. When recorded in the family basement, it's the kind of music that makes parents say, "turn it down," and as Argos notes, we can hear them say it in the recording. There's nothing more punk rock than that.

But what's most refreshing is the band's unbridled enthusiasm for the genre that they love and pay homage to. The Frank Black-helmed production lends Art Brut newfound confidence. While they still retain their scrappy Bang Bang Rock & Roll charm, there's an improved sharpness to the melodies and a greater comfort level with their instruments. But more importantly, there is also no pretense of hipper-than-thou elitism or jaded cynicism. On "The Replacements", Argos marvels that he can't believe he just discovered the titular band. It's a down-to-earth admission that's nearly unheard of in the indie realm. And one that kids might be making in regard to Art Brut 20 years from now.

But that's not to say the album's completely snark-free. After all, it is the band's sincere straightforwardness and deadpan honesty that made them so endearing in the first place. On "Demons Out!", they charmingly chastise the mainstream, with the brilliant observation that "the record-buying public shouldn't be voting." One look at the Billboard charts and you realize they totally have a point. With a wink and a nod, they pretty much declare all-out war against the Top 40 sect, exclaiming, "It's Art Brut versus Satan." But it's very clearly an effort derived from love, not contempt. Because everyone deserves to hear the Replacements, not just those who are insular to a specific scene.

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