Argos is pretty great, though. Over the three Art Brut records, he's created a figure pretty unique in the lead singer pantheon. His "character" regularly obsesses over details that most would miss; his fatal flaw lies in a misplaced self-confidence that clashes with his misanthropic observations. Being a geek myself, I enjoy his exhultations of geek culture, especially music geekdom; when he screams "CD reissues, extra tracks!" on "The Replacements," I share his enthusiasm.
More than anything else, he's willing to document some pretty dark moments of the soul in ways that are at turns funny and tragic. Lead single "Alcoholics Unanimous" (which is apparently #1 on something called the MediaGuide Alternative Specialty Charts) chronicles the morning after a rough night out, one that may be close to bottom for a heavy drinker realizing he's lost control. As Argos sings on the chorus "I've been making mistakes," the band responds with "Lots of mistakes," and as he sings "I've been hiding it well," the band replies, "Not very well." It's a pretty clever moment, but a bit naked too. You wonder how much of it is fiction and how much is Argos really drinking himself silly too often, to the frustration of his bandmates.
Whether it's storytelling or autobiography, it makes for great records, including Art Brut Vs. Satan. My first exposure was prior to Coachella 2006, around the time of their first album. Their set closed out one of the smaller stages and they pushed well past the midnight curfew; by the time police and security were threatening to shut down the show by force, the band had concluded and left behind a sweaty, satisfied audience screaming, "Art! Brut! Top of the Pops!"
See what I mean? It's hard to be level-headed about Art Brut. Instead, they make you want to scream into the cool desert night, and crave a comic book and a cold, cold beverage.
Article comments