Art Brut is one of those bands that I never find myself listening to, hated when I first heard them, yet can't stop seeing them live. I have the same relationship with The Hold Steady, except I've only seen them once and I've seen Art Brut at least a half-dozen times. Singer Eddie Argos is an affable genuine nerd, too pudgy and self-effacing to be a front man of a major band, but creative and smart enough to surround himself with capable musicians who are also in on the joke. "Formed a Band" says it all, and was appropriately their first major hit. Like The Hold Steady, I didn't "get it" until I saw them live. Then I knew. That cockiness and cooler-than-thou attitude that comes across at times on record isn't even a projected image, it's just a by-product of genuine goofiness and disbelief that they're actually being recognized (and paid) for doing what they love. The same could be said, perhaps to a lesser extent, about The Decemberists, but not with the same level of tongue-in-cheek awareness, and certainly not to the same level of good time dance party happiness that are their live shows.
Art Brut plays Schubas every night this week, and unfortunately my schedule and funds allowed me only to attend the first show. It was delayed by 30 minutes due to a failed guitar amp, and Eddie did little to entertain the crowd, though he admitted as much, claiming that the only joke he knows is terrible, which it was (why couldn't the drummer get through the door? because of his high hat!). But, like any Art Brut show, it was a roll from there with great energy, excellent banter, and that trademark aw-shucks stage presence. Plus, for whatever reason, I ran into the band on the street after the show for the second time in a row, and both times they've been incredibly friendly and easy to talk to, though with their thick Cockney accents and my ringing ears, I didn't understand a whole heck of a lot of what was said.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention. They spent a great part of one song ripping on U2 (which is totally deserved - that band is 100% useless) and Kings of Leon (only 40% useless). Eddie exclaimed over and over (and over) "Sex on Fire?! What the fuck does that mean?" You gotta love that.
Cost/Value = $15/15 = 100% = A+
Given KOL's last two albums, I think they're more than 40% useless. More like 49%.
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