Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Arthur Beatrice
Label: Polydor Records
Released: 2014
Length: 41:56
Rating: 4.5/5
Britain’s Arthur Beatrice are one of the most interesting bands to show up lately on the contemporary indie rock scene. Since 2010 they’ve been quietly piecing together material that finally came out this year on their studio debut »Working Out«. So: newcomers, and one of the most carefully guarded secrets of the British alternative music scene. In 2012 Arthur Beatrice dropped the single Midland, and they did it in a way bands don’t usually pick for self-promotion. They pushed the single through social media, and music enthusiasts spread the word about the newcomers by plugging Midland on their own music blogs too. Some pundits like to compare Arthur Beatrice to indie rock contemporaries who are just as known for their musical quirks, such as The Turtles, Wild Beasts, Alt-J, The xx and The Sundays, but despite the comparisons Arthur Beatrice clearly set themselves apart stylistically, and with their very first record they already stand for a distinctive indie rock phenomenon that breathes completely on its own terms, driven by recognizable, one-of-a-kind creative insight. Even the cover art, with its pale, bloodstained symbolism of lost innocence, can be read as a sign that Arthur Beatrice are knowingly stepping out of the musical “underground” and into the musical “spotlight”.
As you’d expect, Arthur Beatrice are also one of those bands that put most of their creative chips on building a gripping, almost hypnotic atmosphere. The moves they use to construct their rich sonic backdrops are tight and simple. It’s a sophisticated weave of soft synth veils, with mostly disco-flavored, dance-driven rhythms pulsing underneath (the song Carter), while the space in between is filled by an active, chunky melodic bassline and, of course, that typical island indie rock guitar sound, which often works through simple but smartly placed guitar embellishments that Arthur Beatrice use to contrast individual tracks on the album.
Two lead vocals sit inside that musical setting. One male, one female. At times they split the vocal duties within one and the same song. Their strength is how recognizable their tonal colors are, which means both the female and the male vocal are key generators of mood contrasts, shaping the many emotional states that keep the studio debut »Working Out« moving dynamically from start to finish.
The songs carry a clear sense of solemnity, even »restraint«, and the two well-known companions of this kind of island atmosphere, melancholy and anxiety, are both along for the ride. The opener Councillor sums it all up. The band has an exceptional feel for musicality, which delivers music that’s instantly infectious. At the same time, a big edge Arthur Beatrice have over other »indie rock« acts is the sheer power of a well-thought-out, rational approach to songwriting. The moves they make are considered, minimized down to the last detail, yet placed in the compositions at exactly the right spots where they hit hardest. Precisely because of this minimalist approach, the elements that build the songs and the soundscape stand out that much more in the arrangements. So the band has one of the basic creative axioms in music, »less is more«, down cold. And they’ve got it at the very start of their career, which is a promising sign for how their style will evolve. The dark male vocal is effectively set against the gentle female one, which gets its »punch« and instantly commanding appeal from that very softness, especially when it climbs into the higher and highest vocal registers.
This is an album you can put on at any moment. It has a great dose of hypnotic, gazing-into-the-distance mood and melodic catchiness, often powered by the kinetics of dance-spun rhythms. One of the songs that works especially well on the record is Midland. It came out as the album’s first single, and it has an extremely effective shift in mood between verse, chorus and »mid eight«, where the excellent female vocal plays its »vulnerability« and »innocence« for all they’re worth.
»Working Out« is a very tight album that’s over in a flash. Arthur Beatrice are newcomers, sure, but from their very first steps they show they’re a crew who know exactly what their musical direction is. The principle of healthy evolution and the pose of »independence« are solid and tangible. Even the album title »Working Out« hints at it, and it could be a career move marked by big creative freshness and constant positive stylistic change, and if the band sticks to these foundations, they’ll definitely delight us again with new music in the future.
Lineup
Orlando Leopard – vocals
Ella Girardot – vocals
Hamish Barnes
Elliot Barnes
Production
Arthur Beatrice
Tracklist
1. Councillor
2. Late
3. Midland
4. Carter (Uncut)
5. More Scrapes
6. Interlude
7. Grand Union
8. Singles
9. Charity
10. Fairlawn
11. Ornament & Safeguard
