Single // Nag Nag Nag Nag
By rights, this isn't actually a 'Mute' record
at all - it's one of those EMI releases that Mute are marketing,
and so it doesn't carry a Mute catalogue number. It forms part of
EMI's valuing of Mute as a vehicle for representing music from the
indie underground, and it says much - to me - about the future direction
of my favourite label. It's hard to listen to this rather angular
slice of spiky guitar pop and find any other reference point within
the Mute roster of years gone by with which to compare this, apart
from Foil if you squint hard enough.
The Mute website proudly claims that this single
has one more 'Nag' than Cabaret Voltaire, which of course
is totally true, but it seems like a pointless point of reference
since Art Brut are the complete antithesis of the Cabs' industrial
ethic. But, criticisms aside, 'Nag Nag Nag Nag' is a brilliant example
of why I think this is a really exciting period for UK music. Art
Brut specialise in acerbic, near-spoken word vocals from lead
'singer' Eddie Argos, dark guitar melodies and furious drumming.
'Nag Nag Nag Nag', whilst in its own way uplifting, is intense and
relentlessly negative - 'a record collection reduced to a mixtape'
is about the most dispirited thing I've heard in a song since Joy
Division, whilst also anchoring this into a distrust of the iTunes
era.
B-side 'I Found This Song In The Road' continues
the theme, finding Argos tapping thoughts into his phone and leaving
'80 messages saved and unsent'; the ultimate act of digital cowardice
perhaps, but cathartic nonetheless. Something in the delivery reminds
me not just of Foil, but of Wire's Colin Newman, but there's
no denying that Art Brut are ploughing their own furrow right now
and it's quite exciting to hear.
7":
A. Nag Nag Nag Nag
B. I Found This Song In The Road
CD:
1. Nag Nag Nag Nag
2. I Found This Song In The Road
3. Bad Week End (Live At The Eurockénnes Festival 06)
4. Formed A Band (Live At The Eurockénnes Festival 06)
5. These Animal Menswe@r (Live At The Eurockénnes Festival
06)
6. Emily Kane (Live At The Eurockénnes Festival 06)
7. Nag Nag Nag Nag (Live At The Eurockénnes Festival 06)
All tracks are available on iTunes UK
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