Art Brut ist nicht Tot!

I love the title, It's a Bit Complicated, as if to say that things are not always as straightforward Bang Bang Rock 'n' Roll. But much of this is bang bang, in sound as well as themes, which is a good thing: It's a "Direct Hit", as singer Eddie Argos puts it. Complications include learning your German from a 7" record ("St. Pauli"), and choosing between kissing and the urge to turn up a pop song you love ("Pump up the Volume"). Argos is as witty as ever, even providing answers to important questions that have been asked for decades:

"What becomes of the broken hearted / they get drunk for a few weeks / and then they're right back where they started".

True, their sound may not have evolved much since last time around, but there are hooks aplenty and it's a terrific setting for Argos' jokes. (A side note: Some of their riffs even remind me of early nineties Amerindies such as Superchunk. 90's revival, anyone?). Punk rock ist nicht tot! I like this.