Review: Noblesse Oblige – Malady

If you read “this album is the conclusion of an exploration of the occult” your first reaction would probably be like mine – what the fuck? Don’t trust your instincts, trust me, don’t listen to your gut, listen to the album. Your next reaction will again probably be like mine – where has this band been all my life?

Forget what the ‘concept’ is. It doesn’t matter. It’s just good old fashioned good. Acoustic-electro-blues-disco-performance-art. Yeah, that about sums it up. Go with it, it’s worth it. I’ll warn you, you might find some of it a little out there and not every track reaches for the stars or touches them when they try. Songs like Moon Child, Tropical Fever and Cracks On The Wall are quite plain.

However, it is a great record and the good does outweigh the bad. ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Sambo’ and ‘When Thunder Breaks Up Under’ are phenomenal. They are interesting and seductive on every level. But it’s ‘The Great Electrifier’ where it all comes together. A great minor key acoustic riff, with a spoken vocal Debbie Harry would be proud of, makes a track made for repeat. Drive down a dark road on your own in the middle of the night. Once you’ve finished Niles‘ Assault on Salford Precinct mix, put this on. You won’t be dissapointed.

This, their third studio album,has inspired me to get their first and second. This band is why this job is so good. Unless you did this job, you would never come across a band like this, so let me do it for you. Buy this record. Even if you aren’t a fan of acoustic-electro-blues-disco-performance-art or even know what the hell acoustic-electro-blues-disco-performance-art sounds like, this record will take you to a place your mind didn’t know was there.

Check out their MySpace page too for no album gems like ‘Caligula’, ’4 AM’ and ‘Das Soldatengluek’ (a tune lifted that might as well have been lifted from the ‘Cabaret’ soundtrack). Whilst you’re there check out the Dunwich remix of ‘The Great Electrifier’. You are going to see a track called ‘Daddy Don’t Touch Me There’. This is the Ronseal of songs, it’s a song about well…exactly what you’d imagine it to be about. But it’s pretty good (musically that is). Enjoyment may/should be hindered by the precise description of events they don’t let you ecape from.

Out now on CD and download through code7 via Plastic Head Distribution this is one hell of a band.

Nicolas Rainmaker