'Wild About' Wild Beasts
By Nicole on September 29, 2009 in mp3blog
Kendal England's Wild Beasts have garnered hordes of critical and popular attention following the release of their sophomore album, "Two Dancers." (NME even says these blokes are "tipped for the top!") Wild Beasts first broke on to the British musical scene when their eccentric single "Brave Bulging Bouncing Clairvoyants" received generous radio airplay. The group is signed to the veritable indie juggernaut, Domino Records and take a few pages out of their storied labelmates' books. The band's shimmering jangly guitars and fey British schoolboy falsetto recall Glasgow's Orange Juice, their lascivious sense of humor and unapologetic theatricality evokes fellow Scots, Franz Ferdinand, lastly, Wild Beasts channel the twee sensibility of indie rock cornerstones, Television Personalities and Pastels.
While the group's influences are obvious, Wild Beasts earn lasting appeal in the interplay between lead singer Hayden Thorpe's Antony/Marc Bolan histrionics, and bassist, Tom Fleming's textured, soulful baritone that brings to mind eighties Northern Soul, as well as bands like Prefab Sprout and OMD - the group's glam rock flamboyance earns ingenuity when it is complemented by wry crooning. Wild Beasts are more Blue Velvet than Pink Flamingos, and for that reason, I expect them to defy novelty status, and to remain under the indie rock spotlight.
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