Art Brut: A Record Collection, Reduced To A Mixtape (Vinyl) / And Yes, This Is My Singing Voice! : New Cross and Beyond 2003 – 2008 (CD Box)
Buy Vinyl Here / Buy CD Box Here
Available 26th July
Art Brut turn 20 and to celebrate are releasing a double career-spanning vinyl compilation and the first of two CD boxsets.
For those unfamiliar the band, fronted by Eddie Argos, formed in 2003, their name inspired by French painter Jean Dubuffet’s term for “outsider” art; art created by prisoners, loners, the mentally ill and other marginalized individuals, made without thought to imitation or presentation. The band were part of the “Art Wave” scene, which also included the likes of Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.
Possibly best known for the frontman’s sprechgesang-style vocal delivery, something the CD set leans into with the title, And Yes, This Is My Singing Voice! (New Cross and Beyond 2003 – 2008). Argos’s lyrics are often irreverent, humorous and self-reflective with a focus on music (Formed A Band), relationships (Emily Kane) and personal interests (DC Comics And Chocolate Milkshake).
The boxset collects the 2005 debut album Bang Bang Rock & Roll and 2007’s follow-up It’s A Bit Complicated. These appear on the first couple of discs and then over another three you get a number of B-sides, demos, alternative mixes and unreleased live recordings, including a performance from University of London Union that includes a horn section (incorporating the theme from Close Encounters into the single Pump Up The Volume) and a gig from Paris 2006. There’s also 24 page zine containing a 2000 word liner notes from the frontman.
Amongst the alternative versions are the early ‘Brutlegs’, the first versions of many of the tracks produced by the legendary London-based Keith Top of the Pops which were initially available on the band website. Although polished and recorded for the album, these raw versions have the edge for me as Argos is still finding his (singing) voice.
You could make a case for Art Brut being a band that were in the right place but at the wrong time. They’ve achieved cult status of course and have a loyal following, their rare live performances eagerly anticipated, however the likes of Yart Act could be accused of stealing their formula albeit a couple of decades later and running with it. Maybe James Smith has read Argos’s autobiography I Formed a Band and took the closing instruction literally and ‘gone and formed a band.’
The double vinyl, A Record Collection, Reduced To A Mixtape, resplendent in marine green, features key tracks from the aforementioned Bang Bang Rock and Roll and It’s A Bit Complicated along with choice cuts from 2009’s Art Brut vs Satan, 2011’s Brilliant! Tragic! and 2018’s Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! Whilst including most of the singles (no Hospital though.)
There is a selection of album tracks and a couple of live tracks recorded in Berlin, including an epic take of Modern Art, the definitive as Argos describes it in the sleeve notes. There’s also We Make Pop Music and Arizona Bay which had previously been exclusive to the band’s previous best of compilation Art Brut Top Of The Pops.
So which to buy? If you’re a vinyl collector or a casual fan then maybe the handy 22 track vinyl retrospective should satisty most folks Art Brut needs. It’s taute and gives you the heavy hitters. If you’re a fan or a completist you will want/need the box set as well. A number of the songs won’t appear on streaming platforms and there are plenty of gems to find, plus there will be a second box covering the rest of the bands career released in 2025.
For more Art Brut visit their website here
Art Brut will be touring Germany and the UK in September and October (dates below)
All words by Iain Key. See his author profile here or find him on X (Twitter) as @iainkey
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