eShop USA > Music > It's a Bit Complicated
It's a Bit Complicated
Our Price: $14.98 Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Save $10.00 when you spend $50.00 or more on qualifying items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout.
Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0878037001822
Label: Downtown
Manufacturer: Downtown
MPN: 70018
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Downtown
Release Date: June 19, 2007
Studio: Downtown
Related Items: Featured Listmania!
Editorial Review:
Art Brut's sophomore effort works the same ironic, are-they-joking vibe that made 2005's Bang Bang Rock & Roll such a hoot. Eddie Argos's lyrics still sound tossed off the top of his clever head, like he looked around the room and wrote what he saw on a dinner napkin. Whether he's choosing between kissing a girl and turning up the stereo ("Pump Up the Volume") or contemplating his own vanity on "Nag Nag Nag Nag" ("wet trousers in the washing machine/ but I'd rather be damp than seen in jeans"), the words are always the best part of the song. The music, meanwhile, is grand and silly, filled with brash Brit-pop tropes and chunky, Weezer-size guitar riffs.
But the band hasn't found a way around their central problem: The songs lack variety. It wasn't such an issue on their debut because the sample was so limited, but now we know too well what to expect. Their particular formula makes it tough; Argos's spoken, thickly accented delivery doesn't exactly have a vast range of expression, and their punk-influenced emphasis on simplicity limits what they can do dynamically. Only two records in and despite their catchy tunes and obvious talents, they're starting to sound tired. Can they find a way to be something more than just a particularly bright flash in the indie-pop music pan? It remains to be seen, but for now I'll enjoy It's a Bit Complicated's smarty-pants snark--for at least another week or so. --Matthew Cooke
Much like the art movement of the same name, Art Brut are outsiderish, rebellious, punk before punk, and deliciously libertine. Their second full-length is poppier than the first (2004's "Brutlegs"), and with tracks titled "Pump Up The Volume" and "I Will Survive", expect it to be tongue-in-cheek and rancorously funny.
Much like the art movement of the same name, Art Brut are outsiderish, rebellious, punk before punk, and deliciously libertine. Their second full-length is poppier than the first (2004's "Brutlegs"), and with tracks titled "Pump Up The Volume" and "I Will Survive", expect it to be tongue-in-cheek and rancorously funny.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - intelligent upbeat music
Art Brut's second album, It's A Bit Complicated, hit the streets June 26th. Judging from the five song EP, it won't disappoint the multitude of fans won over by their debut album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll. Known for his shrewd self awareness, front man Eddie Argos and his crew have done it again. Mixing talk/stylized vocals, smart verbosity and catchy melodies, Art Brut will satisfy your longing for intelligent upbeat music. It's A Bit Complicated is deceptively simplistic; its perfectly crisp songs ... Read More
Rating: - A simple formula (that works over and over)
I can't really speak to the Franz comparison, but I can say that the Eddie's monologues seemed to have evolved a bit over the previous album and are undeniably relatable; especially to anyone struggling in a relationship (tracks, "Post Soothing Over" and "Jealous Guy" come to mind here). Eddie Argos is an "everyman" in the truest sense, and his lyrics exude an authenticity unsurpassed by any Brit-pop band in recent memory.
On the whole, there are some great riffs here too. Overall, ... Read More
Rating:  - Not another one!
Hey, a new Franz Ferdinand album? Oh wait, it's Art Brut. Seriously, can it get any closer? I guarantee you play "Pump the Volume" to the average Franzie and he'll swear up and down that it's gotta be them. Even the voice sounds ridiculously alike. It may seem unfair to criticize Art Brut for sounding like Franz Ferdinand (and Bloc Party, for that matter) when Franz borrowed heavily from all sorts of other groups. But the UK is so full of these bands now that someone needs to stop them. Preferrably now because ... Read More
Rating: - It's a bit too complicated
Art Brut are just so darn lovable. Any band that rejoices at their own existance has gotta be special.
That fact is reinforced in their second album "It's A Bit Complicated," which is crammed with more of their exuberant art-punk-poppery. It doesn't stray far from their first album's mold, but them it doesn't really need to -- their energetic, quirky little songs are more than enough fun.
After a bunch of "woo hoo hoo hoos" and a little tap on the bass, the opening song unfurls into ... Read More
Related Categories:
| |
 |
![Nero 6 [Old Version]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5139DNRNJZL._SL75_.jpg
)
![Adobe Photoshop CS3 Upgrade [Mac]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Yn29U8lYL._SL75_.jpg
)
