Well, this is interesting. I have to admit that up to now, while I haven't exactly raved about everything that we have listened to, at least I've known what was actually going on. Until now. Until Wild Beasts. Until Two Dancers.
I can't say that I've listened to the band in the past. I am aware of them, but only because they are from Kendal, the same place as a good friend of mine.
To be honest with you, I almost didn't get to write this article, as I very nearly turned the album off during the first track. It's not like me to give up on music, I'm very tolerant of a lot of things, and will do my best to try, but I couldn't even take this seriously. But, persevere I did, and so here I go...
The album starts with a track called The Fun Powder Plot. I can see why the boys in the band thought that this was fun, but I have wracked my brain for almost nine hours now to work out how to describe the sound of this opening song. The best that I could manage? It sounds like Kate Bush singing in a washing machine, well, except it's a guy singing. The tune itself is quite good, but his falsetto voice just confuses. And the lyrics are somewhat crazy. Infact, I recommend that everyone listens to this track, I can't do it justice by trying to describe it. I'll must say that it's odd, if I'm being nice, and, if I'm not being, then, well, I won't not be, not just yet.
My problem with Wild Beasts is I imagine they would be good if I could tolerate the singer. He has a good voice when singing what I would call 'normally', but I can't take him seriously the rest of the time. To me, this comes across as a bit of a comedy album, which I'm almost certain it's not meant to be. Or maybe it is, maybe it's just a little too clever for me, and that's what's putting me off. Or not, I honestly don't know.
Infact I think that trying to work out what it is might be where I'm stumbling for no reason, but try as I may, I just can't listen to it at face value without trying to analyse it, it's just too damn strange not to. Third track All the Kings Men would be great if the vocals were like the verses all of the way through, but we are contstantly reminded by high-pitch squeals that this is Wild Beasts, and not just any old band. I suppose that their success in being unique would explain their popularity, but it's not for me.
Rachel on the other hand is a big fan of this, be sure to catch her thoughts on it here.
Strangely, I think I'd quite like to watch this band at the festival. I imagine they will draw a hugely varied crowd, from the cool youngsters who know that NME told them to come see the Kendalites, to 'smoke' hazy revellers who will sit back and just enjoy the sheer madness of it all. Hmm... Maybe I will, although I'll be part of the other crowd, the one standing and staring at the stage, without a clue what is happening.
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