"I'm gonna write a song as universal as 'Happy Birthday', and it's gonna make sure that everybody knows that everything's gonna be okay."

Not only that, but you're gonna finally write down the song that thousands of wannabe art-rockers have been quietly dreaming, night after night, and quickly forgetting as the first light of dawn creeps through their bedroom window. Cue a handful of grumbling Ikara Colt fans, a swathe of superficial comparisons to The Fall, and a million feet, all across the globe, all dancing in that jerky way that looks stupid but feels fan-fucking-tastic.

The opening splutter of guitars has the disorientating effect of every time making me expect "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division to kick in, but then they never claimed to be as original as "Happy Birthday" as well. And anyway, why quibble? "Formed A Band" is a statement so pure, honest and life-affirming that it's destined to piss off at least equally as many people as it inspires - which is, of course, at least equally as good a thing to be doing. In fact it's so pure, honest and life-affirming that singer Eddie Argos simply repeats the phrase, without so much as a pause, for the greater portion of the song. Argos' disingenuously yobbish monotone (not to mention his discount-shopping-inspired name) has less in common with Mark E. Smith than it does with Nicky Tesco, singer with 70s/80s punkers - and writers of the similarly anthemic "Sound Of The Suburbs" - The Members. The Members never had another hit, but at least here B-side "Bad Weekend" shows that there's at least a small reservoir of dryly observational, musically creative bile waiting to be tapped.

These guys could turn out to be one hit, one chord, wonders; cynical indie-ghetto knobheads may eventually convince you that this is a worthless novelty act; but whatever the future holds for Art Brut, this is a song that you need to own NOW. So get on your feet, get down to your local record retailer, buy this song, and FORM A BAND. -Ian Martin, Apr.11.04

Formed A Band