Art Brut Frontman Unveils Side Project

Eddie Argos's new endeavor is called...

Everybody Was In The French Resistance Now

Sample the band's tunes on MySpace.

Our early favorite: 'The Scarborough Affaire'

MP3: Art Brut - Emily Kane

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #242

Art Brut - Live On KEXP

Setlist:
Formed A Band
Emily Kane
Post Soothing Out
Good Weekend

Listen to KEXP here. Photo via Spin.

MP3: Art Brut - Live On KEXP

Art Brut Frontman Writes US Tour Diary For NME

Here's what Eddie Argos has shared thus far:

*Rhode Island

Rhode Island was the first day of the tour. The crowd were aces, as were Demander and the Hold Steady. It's the first time I'd seen either live and it was just a glimpse of how much fun this tour is going to be. There was also a Cuban restaurant whose menus claimed they were fighting for the rights of Cubans and for the truth about Cuba to be told. If those are your aims, I don't know if opening a sandwich shop in Providence, Rhode Island is the best way of reaching your goals, even if your steak sandwiches are really good.

Boston

Boston is when I noticed that no one understands what I'm saying and that I need to take an American with me whenever I order anything in restaurants, especially water or tomatoes. I made a very good joke about it on stage, no one laughed (obviously because they didn't understand what I was saying).

Philadelphia

Philadelphia was by far my favourite show so far, and the Hold Steady played perhaps the best show I've ever seen anyone play. We were brought a lot of presents by fans too, a wrestler called Chris Hero brought us some T-shirts and DVDs of himself. We were also given a bag full of cookies and cake with a card, we scoffed the cookies and read the card after. I was a bit worried the card was going to say "These should take effect in about half an hour". Either I or the person writing the review for NME.COM had taken something though, as we have wildly different recollections of what happened. I never take my shirt off, I know what I look like in side profile.

North Carolina

Was a blast, John from the Mountain Goats came down so I watched the Hold Steady with him and then later listened to the Mountain Goats with Craig (a bit like spending an evening inside my record collection). Demander told me it was their best show, it was the only one I've missed (I was doing the merch stall). They've been amazing every night, so I'm sure it must have been pretty spectacular. I'm sad I missed it.

Back soon!
Ed Argos.*

MP3: Art Brut - Modern Art [alternate link]

Art Brut Visits AOL's The DL

The quirky Brits recently recorded a mini-set for The Interface featuring 'Good Weekend', 'Direct Hit', 'Post Soothing Out' & 'Pump Up The Volume'. Check out a performance of the latter track below. To view the entire show, head over to Spinner.com, here.



MP3: Art Brut - Pump Up The Volume

Art Brut Visits Conan

Check out the clip below of Art Brut's performance of It's A Bit Complicated's 'Direct Hit' on Late Night With Conan O'Brien yesterday evening. Fantastic job, as always...


MP3: Art Brut - Direct Hit

New Art Brut Video: Love It Or Hate It?

All hail Art Brut.

Check out their highly amusing toga-centric party clip for latest single, 'Direct Hit', below.


MP3: Art Brut - Formed A Band (via Darla)

Art Brut Lyrics Part Of German University Curriculum

NME is reporting that Art Brut's tongue-heavily-in-cheek lyrics are now a focal point for one particular course at a university in Berlin. AB frontman, Eddie Argos explains:

*'In one of the main universities in Berlin yesterday, they had a lecture about my lyrics, which is funny... It was called 'The Depressive Dandy - the Lyrics of Eddie Argos'. It's amazing I'm on the curriculum. In Germany, they think I'm an intellectual, which is ridiculous...

They say things like 'As an intellectual Eddie, what do you think about this?' and I say 'But I'm NOT an intellectual, I'm an idiot'... I tell them 'you think I'm much more intelligent than I am' and they think I'm being modest!' Yesterday though I did an interview with a lads mag and they were asking me about Pauly Shore and sex tapes and I thought 'Brilliant, they definitely know I'm an idiot'.*

MP3: Art Brut - Direct Hit

Art Brut & O'death @ Studio B 4/18: I Haven't Slept in About 4 Days

Two of my favourite bands played Studio B on the 18th. I only wish that this combination was as winning as it should have been. A number of factors attributed to this less than stellar night: hangovers ("I haven't slept in two days!" declares Art Brut's publicist outside before the show), Studio B getting the bands onstage late, Studio B opening the doors really late and probably most significantly, the timid all ages crowd (sorry).

As unfortunate as all those factors are, Art Brut and O'death are really consumate professionals at this point in their careers. They know that the audience has come to see them act crazy and even if they cannot feed off of a frenzied audience, they still put in an effort to entertain.


This was my...4th? time with Art Brut. I chose this show over Ratatat at Webster Hall. Call me crazy, but the thought of not seeing Eddie Argos as he blew through town was too much to handle. An Art Brut show makes me intolerably happy.

The band previewed some new tracks, which I am sure I will come to love. Eddie cracked a joke about one saying that we had never heard it since it had not been purposely leaked.



As always at Studio B, crazed fans feel it is necessary to jump onstage. Here comes the inexperienced concert goers part. There was one failed attempted by a boy to get up next to Eddie. He only succeeded in nearly breaking my hand that was lying on the speaker as his boot smashed ontop of it. It is still killing me. I turned around, fists blaring but realised he was 15 and I better not.

To those wondering if I stayed for Soulwax. I did not. That would have involved another line and ten bucks I didn't have after Studio B kicked us all out after Art Brut.

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #19

Art Brut - The Great Escape

Released on a We Are Scientists/Art Brut split 7" last year, each band tackled one of the other's biggest hits for shits, giggles and overall magnificence.

While Art Brut 47 We Are Scientists opted to cover Art Brut's 'Bang Bang Rock & Roll', Art Brut attempted We Are Scientists' instantly catchy, 'The Great Escape'. The result is, as you may have already guessed, utterly delightful. Listening to Eddie Argos howling 'making my escape/making my escape' is enough to make your day, alone. MP3 below.

MP3: Art Brut - The Great Escape

New Art Brut Album Cover: Love It Or Hate It?

Here's the cover for Art Brut's sophomore release, It's A Bit Complicated, out in mid-June. Your thoughts are always appreciated. I'm giving it a 2/10 - disappointed doesn't even begin to describe my feelings towards the art chosen. Such a shame because I was enamored by the image on the front of their debut LP, Bang Bang Rock & Roll.

The art-rockers will be at Brooklyn's Studio B tonight with Music Slut faves O'Death.

Old-school MP3: Art Brut - Modern Art

nag, Nag, NAg, NAG, NAG

Hey, everyone else is posting this, why not us? We love you guys and hell, we freaking LOVE Art Brut. They are our favourite Outsider Art rock band ever.

Advance listen to 5 songs from Art Brut's new album, It's a Bit Complicated.

Tracklisting:

'Pump Up The Volume'
'Direct Hit'
'Post Soothing Out'
'Late Sunday'
'Nag Nag Nag Nag'

Art Brut Gets 'Complicated'

In an interview published today on Bitchfork, Eddie Argos of the always entertaining, Art Brut, confirmed that the band's sophomore LP will be titled, It's A Bit Complicated.

Eddie explains: It's not as straight-ahead as the first one. I don't know, I found it a bit complicated when I was writing it? [Laughs] It's all about ex-girlfriends and whatnot again, innit? And those issues are a bit complicated. It's vaguely more complicated than the last one...it sounds nice as a title.

Produced by Dan Swift, who has previously worked with Kasabian & Snow Patrol, respectively, It's A Bit Complicated should see the light of day this June.

Read the entire article and see a list of Art Brut's upcoming shows, here. Can't wait! Also, check out Jen's review of Art Brut's gig at The Warsaw last October, HERE!

MP3: Art Brut - Good Weekend

Art Brut @ Warsaw 10/18: Simply the Best

There are few things that make me as happy as an Art Brut concert. I have seen the band three times now and each and every show has been amazing.


Eddie Argos has got to be the ultimate front man. He is endearing, funny, charismatic and just plain awesome. His advice on dating is always a never-ending source of amusement and hidden gems.


If you don't have the band's debut album yet, GET IT. One of my favourite albums of the year, Bang Bang Rock and Roll is an original, fun and intelligent piece of music. It falls under the category of art rock with a combination of spoken word, ala William Shatner, and English punk rock.


I feel that it is rare that every member of a group can hold their own (the boys O'death come to mind as an example of those who can) but not so for Art Brut. Jasper on guitar and Mikey B on drums are definitely my stand out favourites, with their outrageous solos at the end of the sets, but everyone in the group is able to find their own unique style and personality which works incredibly well with their eclectic brand of music.


The group debuted a few new songs from their upcoming second album to rapturous applause. 'Nag Nag Nag Nag' will be the first single out November 13th. I was surprised to see that the show hadn't sold out, but those there were obviously big fans, jumping, screaming and chanting 'TOP OF THE POPS!' I may or may not have been one of those people. Ok, I was.

Download: 'Formed a Band'
'Fight Hi'

Art Brut & The Stills @ Siren Festival

2 very different bands, of which I equally adore, 500 feet and 15 minutes apart from one another.

First was The Stills. As you can see from my photos, I was far away, to say the least. Being about 30 or 40 rows back at a festival such as Siren, or any for that matter, really hinders upon your experience. The sound quality is poor, the fans are not actually there to see the bands but more to be seen, and the Cyclone's patrons scream really loudly sometimes. But I refuse to complain about a free show! I've seen The Stills countless times when they were promoting Logic Will Break Your Heart but had yet to see them on the new tour pushing Without Feathers. Their set was short but sweet... It went something like this:

It Takes Time
Lola Stars & Stripes
Gender Bombs
In The End
Helicopters
Oh Shoplifter
In The Beginning
Still In Love Song

----

Art Brut. What can I say about Art Brut that hasn't already been said? It was the same shtick as always but in a different order this time (opening with 'Formed A Band' and ending with the 1-2 punch of 'My Little Brother' and 'Good Weekend'). The sweaty attendees ate it up. We were eating out of Eddie's hand and loved every second of it.

This shot is about 2 minutes after their set ended as I yelled for Eddie to smile for me. He complied.

The Chalets, Art Brut 47 (We Are Scientists), Art Brut @ Knitting Factory 5/18: I Saw Eddie Naked....TWICE

From top to bottom, last night's show was outstanding.


First up were The Chalets from Ireland. They fit into the same vein of kitchy rock as Art Brut. Their schtick being their lead singers- two girls in 50's style dresses and heels doing light choreography. It's almost too adorable for words. The group has two male singers as well, one on bass and one of guitar. The back and forth between the guys and girls is well done, like a rocked out 'Summer Lovin.' I've been saying for the past few months how everything seems to sounds the same recently, so I was really pleased to actually leave the show of a new group and want to buy their cd.


Next up were We Are Scientists. You've all already read plenty of bloggers commenting about the group not covering any Art Brut songs, personally, I didn't mind. It's been a fair while since I've seen WAS so I was just excited to hear all the old tracks. Though yeah, it would have been cool to hear them sing one Art Brut cover. Despite my rapture for seeing WAS, my attention was incredibly distracted. In front of me at the stage were a group of girls, who looked like they were in high school but were drinking beer, screaming, taking millions of up close pictures of Keith, talking, hugging and throwing up the rock sign. I swear I wanted to drag them all out by their hair. It's cool that they were so into a really good band but seriously, have a little respect for the group you are there to see and the people around you. Perhaps I should write a guide for being a good concert go-er.


Ok, I digress. But no need to say how good WAS, erm, was. Their transitions were great, smoothly going into song after song and pausing every couple for the patented We Are Scientists banter.



Art Brut 47 (We Are Scientists) setlist:
Lousy Reputation
Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
Can't Lose
Callbacks
It's A Hit
Worth The Wait
Cash Cow
Textbook
This Scene is Dead
Inaction
The Great Escape


They brought down the house, along with The Chalets and Art Brut onstage, for their final song 'The Great Escape.' All night was one big love fest between the bands performing. It made me jealous, I wanted to hang out!


I was going to title this blog: My New Favourite Band because Art Brut made me fall in love with them so hard last night. I have a bunch of their songs, and really like them, but live is a whole 'nother story.


Despite the weird mustache and little pot belly, lead man Eddie is damn sexy. I was such a sucker for the dramatic stage antics. And guitarist Jasper pointing crowd and staring at the crowd? So damned funny.


Somewhere towards the middle end, Eddie jumped into the crowd. It was great. Thankfully I wasn't under him like Miss Modernage was the first night. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but whilst crowd-surfing Eddie's jeans somehow came down and he lost his belt.


Once he was wrangled back onto the stage (note the wrangler), he had to run backstage and pull up his trousers. And then I blinked and he was back in the crowd running around before getting back to singing.


After the raukous finale of 'Good Weekend', Eddie left the stage but the band played on, giving some stage time to drummer Mikey, and the rest of the band to get some pointing action in. It was a great evening. Next time Art Brut are in town, go see them and don't be a fool like me and only catch one show.
_________________________________________
Check out Jerry Yeti at the 5/18 show with The Music Sluts and Miss Modernage, Amrit Village Indian and Chris Music Snob who were at the 5/17 show.