Art Brut "Brilliant! Tragic!" (Downtown) Released May 23, 2011

The album seems to combine indie rock with some post-punk feel and vocals. Every hipster and their mother should love this album in my mind. To start right off, the vocals sound and feel very post punk, Jello Bifira of the Dead Kennedys comes to mind. That may be from the quirky styles and more of a spoken word feel to the music. However Argos voice at times can become tiring and annoying unlike Bifira’s. “Brilliant! Tragedy!” however, is not horrible as it does have some high points that are worth taking notice too.

The album is catchy and you do catch yourself singing along with the chorus in such songs as “Clever, Clever Jazz band”. The lyrics throughout the album are in themselves quirky and keep you listening to see what comes back. The track “Sexy” I must say is a high point, with its slow paced rock and almost slight not country but old west ghostly guitars. You catch yourself bobbing your head with every bass line note hit. “Cause everyone wants to feel Sexy sometimes cause I can make it happen with a voice like mine.” Is just fun and gets you going. The band does not take them too seriously but are serious about the music they make. Which is a good thing for all of us.

Every song really does remind me of walking around Wicker Park/Buck town in Chicago. Where you just look at these people and not necessarily strangle them but watch them fall off a curb would be enjoyable. The last track “Ice Hockey” seems like a voyage to regions beyond and you can very easily get lost in the groove. In songs such as “Bad Comedian” you can also feel the influence of Frank Black from the Pixies. Black has worked with the band at various times in the background, having that ambience to the songs that take you to another world feel to some tracks. The song is very reminiscent of “Where is My mind” from the Pixies. “ Clever, Clever Jazz Band” is one of those songs that starts to get under your skin rather quickly as the song seems to drag and then with the chorus kicking in it feels like nails on a chalkboard. The song “Axl Rose” seems to be an ode to one of the most amazing but at the same time combustible lead singers of our time. Through and through, the “Brilliant! Tragic!” is not a horrible album for those who like this kind of music. However, for me this is an album I can live without it.

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