Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 16/06/08
Label: Domino Records

Wild Beasts' debut does not come with a press release, that age old device by which an emergent band sets out its stall to the media and then the record buying public. Instead, there's a simple statement issued from within the promo: "Wild Beasts", it reads "are not concerned with being of the modern, or being of the renaissance, being baggy pantsed or tight pantsed, or being in a scene or being in a place. Wild Beast's music, being what it is, just is." Which we can kind of take to mean: "Wild Beasts: You're gonna like them. Or you aren't."

Whilst this is a caveat that could feasibly accompany any record, it seems all the more pertinent here; for, splashed across virtually every inch of this endearingly silly debut is Hayden Thorpe's knowingly ludicrous falsetto. It's a voice of such high camp and swooping histrionics, many listeners will struggle to get through the first minute and thereby dismiss "Limbo, Panto" outright. Well, their loss, as this exotic, weirdly erotic and yet quintessentially British sounding record is certainly one of the most intriguing sets of the year.

Sparks' Ron Mael's pop-opera turn is probably the closest touchstone for Thorpe's vocals - alternately crooning, snarling and bawling - whilst Orange Juice are referenced in the methodical arrangements and gentrified post-punk grooves of "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" and "The Devil's Crayon" which trickle effortlessly like running water. Morrissey and Marr loom large too.

The former is cast at this panto as a flouncing, oversexed Widow Twanky with a brace of double entendres and nudge-wink wordplay, the latter ever-present in the clean jangly lines and light footed rhythm playing of Benny Little on "Woebegone Wonders" or "The Old Dog", which opens and runs with those peculiar suspended chords so favoured of The Smiths. But there's none of their stark melancholy here, Wild Beasts being rather more languid and there's a delightful lascivious lope to this record with drums, pianos and vocals all bathed in sticky, late night reverbs.

It's all a little rich for one sitting though and despite the odd interjection of bassist Tom Flemming's deep baritone, even converts to Thorpe's over-cooked howling will find it slightly grating over 10 tracks. Additionally, their wit is too often buried beneath gabbled lyrics and only really intelligible on the lyric sheet which is a shame as there are some gags here you won't want to miss.

But there's every sense that Wild Beasts are happy embracing their own ridiculousness and there's enough cheeky humour here, "chocs away!" shagging scenarios and references to old boys and institutions to suggest that whilst there's serious musical craft at foot, the whole lark's just a jolly good old wheeze and "Limbo, Panto" is all the more fun for it. Tally Ho!

    by Jim Brackpool