Art Brut - "Post Soothing Out"

British art-punkers Art Brut will release their sophomore album, It's a Bit Complicated, on June 26th. Their debut was critically acclaimed and much loved by many indie rock fans. The band began streaming a trio of tunes from the upcoming album on their MySpace page about a month ago and the full album leaked recently. Like the debut, the forthcoming record features singer Eddie Argos' signature self-effacing wit delivered in his sing-speak cadence with heavy accent intact. "Post Soothing Out" is the most melodically evolved tune these guys have produced. The song features an infectious and hooky guitar lick along with some uncharacteristically pretty vocal harmonies. The climax comes during the outro/bridge shortly after Argos employs a vocal melody that mimics the recurring guitar figure-- at the 2:34 point, a wall of guitars kick in and Argos briefly sounds more genuine and emotional than we've ever heard him. The last minute of this track alone make it a jump-start contender for my favorite Art Brut song yet.

While I've only heard this album a couple of times through, I feel it improves on the debut in nearly every way. Bang Bang Rock & Roll demonstrated these guys were on a unique tip and contained some insanely fun and memorable tunes. (Personal favs: "Emily Kane" & "My Little Brother") It's a Bit Complicated sounds better produced and tunes themselves are better put-together. "People in Love" is the new album's answer to "Emily Kane" and is an ode to break-ups on which Argos explains his need for change through the clever line, "People in love lie around and get fat, I didn't want us to end up like that". Lead single "Nag Nag Nag Nag" is a catchy upbeat punk tune with some lyrics ("A record collection, reduced to a mixtape/headphones on, I've made my escape") that will surely be appreciated by music nerds (read: music bloggers) the world over. Other highlights include the opening combo of "Pump Up the Volume" & "Direct Hit". Argos's voice is potentially polarizing, but if enjoy the tune below, you should definitely get your hands on It's a Bit Complicated.

MP3: Art Brut - "Post Soothing Out"


Pre-order the album here.