Album Review: Art Brut – Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!

The good news is that Art Brut are back together, what was originally planned to be their last hurrah has unexpectedly turned out to be a full length that cements the bands return, the band now consists of three founding members, Eddie Argos, Ian Catskilkin and Freddy Feedback, along with with new recruits Toby Macfarlaine and Charlie Layton. Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! is the bands first album in seven long years, it’s one that embraces their unconventional approach with much of the album being recorded in one or two takes, along with improvised elements and an ability to find inspiration in day to day encounters and observations.

Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! appropriately enough opens with the life affirming Hooray! that opens with jubilant ska horns that breaks down into upbeat post punk, I Hope You’re Very Happy Together is a poppy but brutally honest post break up track before the downcast Good Morning Berlin brings a stark contrast into the mix. Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! continues to shift between it’s core elements, the end result is that Art Brut have delivered an album of contrasts, the summery upbeat indie elements are juxtaposed against the deadpan lyrical delivery and darker post punk influences perfectly. I have a sneaking feeling that this is their finest release to date, it’s one that would have been a fine farewell album, but it’s an even better statement of intent for the future.

Art Brut clearly don’t want to grow up and Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! is testimony to that, the album is simultaneously a step back to their original sound and a step forward. Art Brut have delivered an album that manages to blend the best upbeat elements from the indie scene of 80’s and 90’s with scathing post punk, a mix that on the surface sounds like polar opposites, but it works, imagine, if you can, a cross between The Boo Radleys, Interrobang!? and Half Man Half Biscuit, as that’s what Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! conjured up in my mind on it’s first spin, this will probably change with repeated plays, what won’t change is that this is an impressive and original album of contradictions

Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! can be pre-ordered here