Wild Beast

Who: Wild Beast

Hail From: Kendal, UK

Label: Domino Records

Active from: 2006 to current

Sounds like: Jimmy Somerville got a gig with a modern atmospheric indie rock band

I think my "Sounds like" says almost everything you need to know to decide if you want to check them out. Their sophomore full length album, Two Dancers, comes out fully to the US 9/8 (was available earlier on eMusic). The lead singer, and Jimmy Somerville impersonator, is named in true soap opera style, Hayden Thrope. So far my favorite track is Hooting and Howling due to it poetic description of guys fighting over girls, but also just to fucking fight. This is definitely a band worth checking out the lyrics on:

Carry me hooting and howling, to the river to wash off my hands of the hot blood, the sweat and the sand.
Any rival who goes for our girls will be left thumb sucking in terror and bereft of all coffin bearers.
A crude art, a bovver boot ballet – equally elegant and ugly.
I was as thrilled as I was appalled, courting him in fisticuffing waltz.
Now I’m not saying the lads always deserve a braying.
And I’m not saying the girls are worth the fines I’m paying.
We’re just brutes bored in our bovver boots. We’re just brutes clowning ‘round in cahoots. We’re just brutes looking for shops to loot. We’re just brutes hoping to have a hoot…
Hooting, hooting and howling.

I fell in love with the song when the phrase "equally elegant and ugly" strummed across my ear hole.

Wild Beast - Hooting and Howling


This next video is off their 1st album and shows a lighter hearted side. Hayden Thorpe's vocals on this one are almost laughable at 1st but still a good song. Slightly hypnotic (read almost seizure inducing) fun visuals on this one. Hypsters and their bad mustaches are funnny.....and sometimes damn cute.

Wild Beasts - Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants


Bonus Material
For those not in the know, Jimmy Somerville, was the original lead singer of Bronski Beat who later moved on to moderately successful carriers as the lead singer in The Communards and as a solo artist. Check out Bronski Beat's hit Smalltown Boy (1984) and tell me if you don't hear the vocal simularities.



As always comments are encouraged