Busting out at the seams with clever-dick time signatures, new wave-y melodies and a seemingly psychotic aversion to repeating passages of any description, Bristol quartet You Me & The Atom Bomb are a fine thing to behold.
The Spirit Of Things is that rarest of feats; a mini LP from a British outfit that can hold a candle to its American indie-prog contemporaries, whether it’s the ornery, piecemeal pop of Fiery Furnaces, or the shifting-sand rhythmic patterns of Deerhoof.
Their first long(ish) playing release since 2006’s Shake Shake Hello?, the six-track EP adds doses of electronica to its peculiar pop in a commendable, what-happens-when-I-push-this-one manner. ‘Headhunters’ takes an obscure swipe at the business mentality, unexpectedly lovely peals of trumpet lending gravitas to lyrics as apparently banal as “We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic individual / you will enjoy a generous benefits package in our company”, and ‘Paper Tigers’ is an obscenely complex boy/girl duo with dextrous funk underpinnings.
At times, they’re almost too cerebral for their own good - ‘Heads And Tails’’ gleeful account of the downfall of a much-hyped band is a little too knowing – but when the ideas are flowing with such abandon, you can forgive Y&TAB for lacking a little heart.
-
7Alex Denney's Score