The Victorian English Gentlemens Club - Self-Titled Album Review

The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club
Self-Titled
Album Review

As jerky as an old Nissan Sunny and as awkward as Stephen Hawking's posture, to withstand the music of The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club is impressive. They'll surely do very well then. How scene.

Working their way into the art-rock periphery (soon to play at the happening 'White Heat' in London), their music cranks the tension of The Young Knives' angular sound until it becomes so ridiculously nervy and stressed it's sinister. For a start, half the album is pretty much out of key. It riots along, unreformed vocals, half-broken voices clashing and rebounding, but evident in their nails-on-blackboard approach appear some wonderful moments. Perhaps more attractive because it arises out of hostility and warped rhythms, 'Ban The Gin' and album highlight 'Amateur Man' possess that illogical attractiveness Art Brut always searched for in their runaway one line choruses.

The darkness and anxiety on this album may get a bit much at times. On 'My Son Spells Backwards', the band do form memorable hooks out of moods intensely frustrated, but they're also intolerable.

Undoubtedly, The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club are excitingly deformed and gloriously twisted. There are so many beneficiaries of art-rock circuit vogue at the moment but they are one of the better. Put down your Horrors 7 inch vinyl for a while and give them a listen.

Jamie Curtis

Click here for The Victorian English Gentlemens Club - Impossible Sightings Over Shelton - Video Stream