Sydney’s The Art are big, bold, brassy, noisy and simply plain fun. “Here Comes The War” is their debut album, and they blaze a trail of indie rock without the shoegazing or boring, jangly, garage-y simplicity.
Sydney’s The Art are big, bold, brassy, noisy and simply plain fun. Here Comes The War is their debut album, and they blaze a trail of indie rock without the shoegazing or boring, jangly, garage-y simplicity.
Opening numbers I Wanna Know and Killing Time signal The Art’s intentions beautifully: both are noisy, gutsy and driving, but ultra-catchy at the same time. However, if you’re expecting this type of rock schlock the entire way through this record, think again. These band still have quite a few tricks left up their sleeves yet.
Femme UFO (You Are Beautiful) is reminiscent of Shihad (not sure how this will go down with the band and their fans, but regardless) in one of their more laid back, groovin’ and introspective moods, until the big chorus payoff. That’s the beauty of music of course; it’s quite possibly the most subjective artistic endeavour on the planet. People hear completely different things from exactly the same sounds. One person’s feast is someone else’s famine and all that.
Step Inside is another sharp turn to the left, sounding like a mix of something REM might create, but with a dash of Britpop and an emotive chorus. It’s back to rock ‘n’ roll-raunch on Figment Of Your Imagination and Moonchild. Best track honours however, go to the mighty title track. This is where the entire album comes together in one three minute and twenty second package. It’s got the sleaze, it’s got the groove, but it’s got the ambience as well. And it’s all killer.
Here Comes The War is a ‘melting pot’ type of album, where the band don’t draw blatantly obvious influence from one or just a handful of other bands. They take inspiration from a dozen or more, throw it into a pot and stir it around. And Here Comes The War is what comes out at the end. It’s fun times for all.
Best Track: Here Comes The War
If you dig these, you will dig this: Be The Twilight FAKER, The General Electric SHIHAD, Franz Ferdinand FRANZ FERDINAND
In a word: Artful.
Label : Silverback Records
