Been piddling around trying to figure out what to say about ‘Infants Under The Bulb’ for a while now. Thought the band’s recent London show might light a fire under my arse, but somehow the brilliance thereof made it harder.
Anyway, let’s try. In essence, things aren’t really that far removed from where things were at on the band’s three previous albums. They play sharp, jagged, very smart post-punk that owes debts to bands like Wire, The Fall, Devo and The Feelies. Vocals are nasal, with a snarky nerdishness about them. The guitars mix up jabby, staccato slashes (think: Wilko Johnson) and melodies that are left-of-centre yet immediately hummable. Basslines careen in a manner that seem out of control but manage, nonetheless, to anchor everything in place. As per usual everything is conspiracy-laced and generally a bit weird, but it’s all held together with a commitment to the vision that feels both sane and wholly natural.
It’s fuller this time around, to the point where there are even some great, soulful brass parts reminiscent of The Saints. Elsewhere, a couple of surrealistic spoken-word interludes coalesce, tranquil synth notes backdropping a parable about border issues, control and the comfort we find in accepting precisely what we’re told. My favourite song here is ‘Tokyo Paris L.A. Milan’, which, oddly, reminds me a lot of The Lapse: it’s curt and jangly but also slightly wan, and when the baritone vocals weigh in towards the end it somehow breaks my heart.
What else? Oh, I don’t know. It’s just excellent – truly excellent.