Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated

Kudos to Art Brut, as they’ve finally given Brit’s a truly worthy answer to Manhattan’s Julian Casablancas & co.

With every new British rock group that comes creeping across the sea, they’re brandished with buzz like ‘England’s answer to The Strokes,’ or some other nonsense like that. And, with every Franz Ferdinand that shows up at Ellis Island, the disappointment just seems to mount and mount.

But, Art Brut was always a bit different.

When their debut full length Bang Bang Rock & Roll hit the streets a few years back—both stateside and across the pond—they were slathered with buzz that they actually deserved. Their trademark brand of edgy Britrock, infused with wicked witty lyricisms and a love-it-or-hate-it thick English accent, shot them to the top of the pack as they loaded up on fans left and right. Flash forward two years after Bang Bang Rock & Roll hit the UK record store shelves, and Art Brut are poised and ready for their triumphant return to making LPs. I’m not even going to make a joke about a potential sophomore slump, seeing as Arctic Monkeys broke the import curse this year with Favourite Worst Nightmare, and left the door wide open for Art Brut to come strolling through with their ample charm.

To be honest, It’s A Bit Complicated isn’t really all that complicated. It’s rather simple, actually. First you rock, and rock it British style. Then, toss in lyrics that are reminiscent of a British version of Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo when he’s at the top of his game. The most standout single on this album full of single-worthy tunes is the woo-hoo rocker “Direct Hit,” followed closely by album opener “Pump Up The Volume,” and the jaunty “Blame It On The Trains.”

It’s my observation that Art Brut is at the forefront of a recent revival in British indie rock (yes, I know that phrase gets tossed around every few years, and I’m trying to use it lightly), led by acts such as the aforementioned Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, and the extremely overexposed Amy Winehouse, to name a few. Kudos to Art Brut, as they’ve finally given Brit’s a truly worthy answer to Manhattan’s Julian Casablancas & co., and in the process made an album that actually manages to improve upon an already awesome debut.

(Downtown Recordings)