Catalogue no. JMMCD012
Release date: 13/12/2010
Format: Digital

Track Listing:

01. First Thought Of The Morning
02. Film Noir
03. Reykjavic
04. Alabaster Statues

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Reviews:

Breaking More Waves

Following on from their acclaimed Planet Sound (R.I.P) revered 2009 album Beginning. Middle. End, UK south coast folk rockers The B of the Bang return with a new EP. Art Deco is a limited edition, numbered and hand-packaged four track EP that will only be available on the bands tour which starts today and calls at London, Cambridge, Preston, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth and finishes at The Hope in Brighton on the 9th of April. You can listen to one of the tracks from the EP, the Gallic sounding Film Noir exclusively below (until the band put the track up on their Myspace that is). With a virtually new line up of musicians, the song represents a significant departure for the group in so far as it is more upbeat than much of their previous material, complete with “Ooh La La” backing vocals and prominent almost chirpy accordion. However underneath there are still many elements of the trademark B of the Bang sound, from the baritone vocal to the hints of angry guitar noise trying to break out from underneath the wash. It’s all tastefully topped off with the bands knack of writing quality songs with just a little bit of an edge.

Live Music Scene

The four-piece band The B of the Bang has added their latest batch of songs to their growing collection in the form of a new EP entitled ‘Art Deco’. This is a band that has recently finished a mini tour performing their new material, surely gaining some new fans along the way who will really appreciate ‘Art Deco’. The band shares its name with a sculpture designed by Thomas Heatherwick, which had its name taken from a famous quotation from the English Olympic sprinter Linford Christie. Hopefully this is where the similarities end as the sculpture was short lived and lasted less than four years. This is a band that I would love to hear more from in the future.

‘Art Deco’ confirms that The B of the Bang has created a distinct sound that sets them apart from their peers, making it very hard to sum them up within a mainstream genre. The second track of this EP, ‘Film Noir’ with their unique use of accordions, intricate guitar and stunning Beach Boy-esque vocal harmonies is carefully arranged, creating a glorious instrumental seascape in which lead vocalist Wit sails across with a commanding baritone vocal range. The songs unfolds throughout, and as you encounter the twists and turns that create its sense unpredictability, the band come into their own, sounding utterly complete.

The production and instrumentation on this EP is sublime. There are countless layers of different instruments mixed in together, forming a thick broth of ethereal dream-pop splendour that is an absolute joy to listen to. They could in many ways be compared to the Icelandic giants Sigur Ros (maybe calling their instrumental third track ‘Reykjavik’ is the band paying homage). However, Beirut and Interpol also spring to mind when listening to The B of the Bang. I have to say, it would be interesting to discover what music this band was listening to whilst writing these songs.

Overall, this EP is brilliant. The B of the Bang has managed to write four songs that are individually experimental with effects, instruments and melodies. But at the same time the songs are accessible for many music lovers without being a bit too weird. I can imagine that this band are epic live. Hopefully they will be coming by the South West at some point in the near future.