It’s revealing that the title of Middle Class Guilt’s second album includes the word ‘comedy’. In my review of their debut The Committee, released last year, I referred to the band as ‘mischief makers’, and there’s absolutely no reason to believe that for the band becoming older has meant becoming more sensible. Their King of Comedy is yet more evidence that the Shetland/Scotland folk droners are on a mission to have as much fun as possible, and if you want to laugh as well as sing along, then carry on.
On ‘Glory of Failure’, frontman Joseph Morgan flexes his Morrissey phrasing repertoire. Bawdy bass gives the track the sleazy tone of a tout in Pigalle. In the second half, Morgan becomes more akin to an agitated David Byrne. “I – I – I deserve death or jail,” he repeats like a sparrow clearing its throat. So, in short, ‘Glory of Failure’ is a resounding success. ‘Park’ staggers on like Mr Soft after closing time, and Morgan bemoans that nobody is waiting for him and he has “fuck all to doooooooooo.”
There’s more saucy bass on ‘Hame’, and after Morgan declares that he has “gone hame,” spiky guitars crash in like a pile of clattering forks. Most recent single ‘Skald’ is a piece in two parts: the first is inspired by traditional Shetland music, and the second is an epilogue with a guitar solo that you’ll wish is much longer. Morgan vacillates between calm baritone and love-denied preacher: “A fire fuelled by paraffin / I dream of you most nights!”
‘No Romance’ begins with a squall of trembling guitars and sporadic drums, which could easily soundtrack the appearance of hungry velociraptors. Monkish incantations follow, and all pretence of conventional rock is dispensed with. “I know where your passport is! / It’s laughing on the streets of Edinburgh!” yelps Morgan on ‘Edinburgh’ while the rest of the band create an increasingly frantic angular backdrop.
The first half of ‘The Golden Tiger’ is inspired by traditional Shetland music, and the second half is a “dread ballad” featuring lyrics that, in the band’s words, “engage in a one-sided conversation with Bohumil Hrabal’s ‘All My Cats’.” It’s as mad as a vat wearing a cat on a mat in Twatt. ‘Safe’ contains oceanic keyboard and a sense of claustrophobia that only Middle Class Guilt can capture. The track can be described as Flaming Lips in reflective mood. It can also be described as Jackson Five performing Mahler, but that would be inaccurate.
‘Mowa Meadow’ has a nostalgic, organ-inflected beginning. A quarter of the way in, the tempo changes to a post funk stomp, with Morgan announcing, “I’m just frittering away my time.” At one stage, the tempo changes three times in a second and a half. Don’t be confused by the proggy title of next track ‘Prequel Trilogy At Thirty Thousand Feet’, which is impeccable Old Grey Whistle Test post punk circa ’82. The band are absolutely ‘locked in’, as my daughter would say – the descending keyboard and lead guitar in particular are tighter than a ball of elastic bands. The track is bound to be a fan favourite.
‘The Rut’ effectively conveys the feeling of being in a rut, with bass hemmed in like a boar between archers, and Morgan’s “years and years and years” refrain. “I see a little red number pop up on the corner of an envelope / Bah doom bah doom dah boom brrrrrrrr!” This is a lyric from album closer ‘Stomach Sunk’. It’s an excellent example of Middle Class Guilt’s excited eccentricity. Stop making sense seems to be their motto. As the kids say, I’m here for it.
Their King of Comedy is out now via Etna Records
Gigs:
8th May – Glasgow – Nice N Sleazy
9th May – Carlisle – The Source Collective
10th May – London – Deptford Junction
11th May – Sheffield – Sydney & Matilda
13th May – Newcastle – Little Buildings
14th May – Edinburgh – Home Bar
15th May – Aberdeen – The Rusty Nail
16th May – Dundee – Music Hall
Middle Class Guilt: Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook
Review by Neil Laurenson
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