When I first put this album on, I groaned audibly at opening track ‘The Church of Song’ – a James Brown-doing-gospel-hallelujah-praise-the-lord piss take. I couldn’t be bothered with a re-hash of an old cliché and my finger was pretty much hovering over the eject button. The second track, ‘Amen’, however, changed my mind. With lyrics like “Jesus thinks you’re an asshole”, the song takes a wry and lyrically well-constructed pot-shot at most of the organised faiths. Indeed, not only does Jesus think you’re an asshole, but according to Lifeguard Nights, so does Allah, Buddha, Yahweh, James Brown and He-Man.
Singer and songwriter Vincent Brue sounds a bit like a comedy Bruce Springsteen, rapping effortlessly or singing his heart out on tracks like the brilliantly titled ‘I’d Prefer it if You Weren’t in Pornos’.
While Lifeguard Nights leaves the listener smiling at songs like these, ‘Spare Tire’ (about Springsteen himself?) and ‘In the Navy Now’, there is often a stark contrast to their more serious songs.
Tracks like ‘Shame’, ‘Everything is Falling Apart’ and ‘Nothing Left to Live For’, however, suggest a much darker, depressive side. These heartfelt songs are Brue’s tears of a clown and do show depth.
Whilst the lyrics are original, clever and well thought out, the juxtaposition between the amusing and the depressing sits uneasily at times. It’s still a very good album and well worth a listen.
- Peter, Bjorn and John - 8 August 2009
- Pope Joan - 28 July 2009
- The Maccabees - 28 July 2009