ART BRUT VS SATAN PLUS REMEMBERING THE GREAT MUSIC OF THE UNDERTONES

The best moment on ART BRUT VS SATAN the third cd from the band Art Brut is on the song DEMONS OUT! when the difference is noted between pop success and music of artistic quality “The record buying public shouldn’t be voting” bellows lead singer Eddie Argos before defining the struggle to get something of perceived artistic merit on the airwaves as a struggle with the devil himself “It’s Art Burt vs. Satan….Don’t worry we can take him”.

The good news about ART BRUT VS SATAN is this is their best cd lyrically….They have gradually grown in confidence until they can craft a song like DC COMICS AND CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKES about still enjoying childish things as an adult or THE PASSENGER about the joys of public transport.

The bad news is Frank Black’s fast production of this cd which gives it a rough punk buzz is not equal to their last cd which featured better sounding arrangements and songs with better verse chorus structures.

Art Brut is one of those bands that really are not going to change a lot and in their case that might be a good thing.

Art Brut has been lumped in with a number of other British bands including the Arctic Monkeys which is like comparing a monkey with an eagle….One band in attitude and execution from the late 70’s and the 80’s that Art Brut does remind me of and perhaps was influenced by was The Undertones.

These five Irish lads had great funny songs full of tales of adolescence that sadly many of us could probably relate to….Perfect cousins, driving lessons gone wrong, and girls that don’t talk at all were among the subject that were covered….The two guitar attack was the perfect foil for Feargal Sharkey’s fantastic voice part opera singer part choral master and it in no way suited the music which made for a fascinating dichotomy.

One detail that was front and center in the Undertones songs and which Art Brut could work on was catchy songs structures with middle 8’s and all the other necessary parts of what makes a classic song.

The Undertones made four cds….THE UNDERTONES, HYPNOTIZED, PERFECT TOUCH, and THE SIN OF PRIDE….THE UNDERTONES is pretty good but HYPNOTIZED is a classic, their masterpiece….PERFECT TOUCH is a good record that shows some musical experimentation….THE SIN OF PRIDE is swamped by strings and brass and gets way too far from their original sound.

By the way, the new version of The Undertones that is currently touring around doesn’t include Feargal Sharkey and IMO is best avoided.