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The term "Art Brut," coined by the painter Jean Debuffet and roughly meaning "Raw Art," refers to an artistic movement that emerged in France at the end of the 1940s. This movement was founded on a unique approach to art, aiming to create works "without artistic or aesthetic intention, but instead obeying a need, a creative and expressive impulse."
Unfiltered and uninfluenced energy, instinct, spontaneity that pour out into pure and simple music: it is in the joyous fusion of these elements that "Bang Bang Rock & Roll," the debut album (whose title is already paradigmatic) of the English quintet, sits.
"Look at us, we formed a band!" shouts Eddie Argos's voice in the debut track, as if to underline the quasi-"involuntary" nature that underlies the band's formation: the eleven tracks that follow fully confirm the impressions felt from the beginning, developing in a relaxed and fluid manner throughout the album's duration.
Certainly, the debts to the music tradition across the channel are quite evident (as in "My Little Brother," whose intro clearly nods to "London Calling"), but this does not detract from the value of an album that makes freshness and spontaneity its most evident and appreciable qualities.
In general, there is an impression of a more than successful mix of catchy melodies, sonic power, and rhythmic tension that reaches its peak in tracks like the aforementioned "Formed A Band," "Modern Art," or in the title track "Bang Bang Rock & Roll".
In conclusion, nothing transcendental or particularly innovative, but I believe that the pleasure of listening to good music can and should go beyond a judgment based solely on criteria of originality or artistic experimentation.
A very pleasant surprise.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Formed a Band (02:58)
Formed a band
We formed a band
Look at us
We formed a band
(x4)
Honey pie, I don't know when it started
Just stop buying your albums from the supermarkets
They only sell things that have charted
And Art Brut?
Well we've only just started
And yes, this is my singing voice
It's not irony
And it's not rock and roll
I'm just talking
To the kids
Formed a band
We formed a band
Look at us
We formed a band
(x4)
I want to be the boy
The man
Who writes the song
That makes Israel and Palestine
Get along
I'm gonna write a song
As universal as Happy Birthday
That's gonna make sure
That everybody knows
That everything's gonna be ok
I'm gonna take that song
And we're gonna play it
Eight weeks in a row on Top of the Pops
Formed a band
We formed a band
Look at us
We formed a band
(x4)
Dye your hair black
Never look back
My past is my business
02 My Little Brother (02:23)
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
There's a noise in his head, and he's out of control
And yes it frustrates!
Let's let him make his own mistakes
See him on the dance floor, watch him go now
Boy those moves, I just don't know how
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
He's only 22 and he's out of control
How's he living?
With all of that unforgiving
See him on the dance floor, watch him go now
Boy those moves, I just don't know how
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
There's a noise in his head, and he's out of control
He no longer likes A-sides
He made me a tape, of bootlegs and B-sides
And every song on that tape, every single song says
Oh why don't our parents worry about us?
All we ever want, is for our parents to worry about us
There isn't anybody he really wants
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll
My little brother just discovered rock and roll!
Stay off, the crack!
03 Emily Kane (02:41)
I was your boyfriend when we were fifteen.
It's the happiest that I've ever been.
Even though we didn't understand
how to do much more than just hold hands.
There's so much about you I miss,
the clumsy way we used to kiss.
I wish I'd convinced you you'd made a mistake.
If memory serves, we're still on a break.
Other girls went and other girls came,
I can't get over my old flame.
I'm still in love with... Emily Kane.
Every girl that I've seen since
looks just like you when I squint.
I know you said "it's for the best,"
I still don’t understand why you left.
There's so much about you I miss,
every time I see a couple kiss.
I hope this song finds you fame,
I want school kids on busses singing your name.
Other girls went and other girls came,
I can't get over my old flame.
I'm still in love with... Emily Kane.
I don’t even know where she lives.
I’ve not seen her in ten years... nine months, three weeks, four days, six hours, thirteen minutes, five seconds.
Other girls went and other girls came,
I can't get over my old flame.
All my friends think I'm insane,
I'm still in love with Emily Kane!
There's a beast in my soul that can't be tamed,
I'm still in love with Emily Kane!
I thought I'd never love again,
I'm still in love with Emily Kane!
The torch I hold is always aflame,
I'm still in love with Emily Kane!
I hope this song finds you fame,
I want school kids on busses singing your name.
All my friends think I'm insane,
I’m still in love with Emily Kane!
Emily Kane, Emily Kane, Emily Kane!
04 Rusted Guns of Milan (03:45)
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
It doesn’t mean that I don’t love you, one more try with me above you.
It’s got nothing to do with anything I’ve had to drink.
It’s more to do with the way I think.
Leave the light on, leave the light on, leave the light on for me
Leave the light on, leave the light on, leave the light on for me
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I know I can
I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, can I get you a cup of coffee?
Don’t tell your friends, don’t tell your friends, I promise it wont ever happen again.
Leave the light on, leave the light on, leave the light on for me.
It’s frustrating for you, well it’s frustrating for me.
You’re lying there and you’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful and of course I want to, why wouldn’t I?
It doesn’t mean, I don’t love you, one more try with me above you.
Leave the light on, leave the light on, leave the light on for me.
It’s nothing to do with anything I’ve had to drink.
There’s something wrong with the way I think.
I know I can, I know I can.
I’m fine when I am with my own hand.
Never use my Rusted gun of Milan.
06 Good Weekend (02:49)
First time I saw her
I wanted to do more than just hold her
I wanted to bend her and fold her
So I lent over and I told her
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
Phones ringing all weekend
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
We want to be lapsed catholics
We've got the contraception
But we haven't got the knack yet
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
So many messages to send
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
So we went to the cinema
We came home from the cinema
We went through the front door
Up the stairs
Through her bedroom door
Onto the bedroom floor
I've seen her naked twice!
I've seen her naked twice!
Brand new girlfriend
Brand new girlfriend
Brand new girlfriend
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
So many messages to send
Phones ringing all weekend
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
Got myself a brand new girlfriend
And I think that I love her
07 Bang Bang Rock & Roll (02:14)
Bang, bang, rock and roll
Bang, bang, rock and roll
Bang, bang, rock and roll
I can't stand the sound of the Velvet Underground
(White Light! White Heat!)
I can't stand that sound the second time around
(White Light! White Heat!)
Met the sweetest girl
Sold me a pill
Tasted like shit
And it made me feel ill
Watch my body
Twist and jerk
I just wanna find a drug that works
Bang, bang, rock and roll
Bang, bang, rock and roll
Bang, bang, rock and roll
I can't stand the sound of the Velvet Underground
(White Light! White Heat!)
I can't stand that sound the second time around
(White Light! White Heat!)
I don't want a girl that's with the band
I just want a girl that's gonna hold my hand
No more songs about sex and drugs and rock and roll
It's boring!
Bang, bang, rock and roll
Bang, bang, rock and roll
Bang, bang, rock and roll
I can't stand the sound of the Velvet Underground
(White Light! White Heat!)
I can't stand that sound the second time around
(White Light! White Heat!)
Once is enough!
(White Light! White Heat!)
Once is enough!
(White Light! White Heat!)
Once is enough!
(White Light! White Heat!)
08 Fight! (02:37)
Storm brewing for a long time, don’t think that I can’t read the danger signs.
What’s the matter, nothing, what’s the matter, nothing.
Some people like things left unspoken, I prefer to have it out in the open
Some people like things left unspoken, I don’t care if you shout it, get it out in the open.
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on, come on…
The nights ending, we’ve both had a fair few, I’m being stopped getting anywhere near you
Whispering, doing my head in, yeah there’s friends between us but I’m not listening
I’ve overheard of a coupla clenched fists, a few more drinks and it comes to the surface
What’s the matter, what? nothing, what’s the matter, nothing.
Some people like things left unspoken, I prefer to have it out in the open
Some people like things left unspoken, I don’t care if you shout it, get it out in the open.
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on lets have a fight tonight
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on, come on…
What’s that? I’ll ‘ave him, slaughter him, what? He’s a bit bigger, but he’s drunker isn’t he? When he’s not looking…honestly let’s keep it outside… I’m not joking…
Some people like things left unspoken, I prefer to have it out in the open
Some people like things left unspoken, I don’t care if you shout it, get it out in the open.
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on lets have a fight
Come on, come on, come on…
OI! come on! Fight!
12 18,000 Lira (01:13)
8,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
Yeah, we've got guns, but they're antiques
They're rusted and they're broken
The Red Brigade made us give our bomb back
But we're going to do this bank job
And we're gonna do our very best
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
Enrique's got a head cold again
It's not his fault
He's a brave and valiant leader
He couldn't even get bus passes this time
Just scooters, very fast scooters
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
18,000 Lira
Sounds like a lot of money
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