The Wombats, 'The Wombats Proudly Present…A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation' (Roadrunner)
Forlorn Brit trio snap off one-liners, cry tears of a clown.
By Jon Young 06.23.08 6:05 PM
Despair rules on this Liverpool threesome's crackling debut, wrapping loneliness in spiffy power pop. Looking for the lighter side of crushing disappointment, frontman Matthew Murphy fends off depression with wry quips, recounting how a "sleazy remark about her whorish dress" spoiled a promising encounter ("Backfire at the Disco") and confessing an unhealthy obsession with unattainable women, including a drunken dental hygienist ("Little Miss Pipedream"). But when he drops the "quirky anecdotes" and gets serious on "Here Comes the Anxiety," the sadness is devastating. Keep the jokes coming, lads!
I got "Let's Dance to joy Division" off of iTunes as a free download the other week, and based on that and a few previews of the rest of the album I have to say that I really don't understand the hype that surrounds these guys. They may not be terrible, but their sound falls far from that of an innovator, a genius; one worthy of articles splashed in every frickin' magazine. Although I wouldn't vehemently discourage anyone from buying "...A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation," don't expect this to become a new favourite--The Wombats are a mere fad, just like Vampire Weekend and other bands of the like.