Demos

Yossarian - Demo

Liam McGrady 21/08/2006

Rating: 4/5

There must be something in the water in Cardiff at the moment. Not only are The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club about to release a fine album of kooky, off-kilter Pop, and the boys and girls of Los Campesinos! have pretty much become the GIITTV writers new favourite band, but now come Yossarian with a stunning demo CD.

I don't know quite how to put this, and it seems like such a simple thing to say, but the music and lyrics on both 'Indie Disco' and 'Invincible' tie in together perfectly. I feel a little dumb in pointing that out, but it's so true. 'Indie Disco' begins with a kind of jaunty, jocular riff and ascending guitar chimes - echoing the buoyant mood and movement of a young tyke bouncing into their chosen Friday night party establishment - building only to a regimented drum pattern as vocalist David falls into typical position: “Standing at the side, standing at the side, minding my own business, minding my own business/In my own little world, in my own little world, drumming on the table, drumming on the table.” In fact throughout the demo, nearly every word that comes from this man's mouth has me either: nodding in agreement, smiling wryly; or properly laughing out loud.

On 'Invincible', a song about defeating the dreaded hangover, there's a line that made me splutter all over my computer screen the first time I heard it, “D'you fancy a cup of tea? Fuck we've got no milk/Ben d'you fancy going down the shop? No? You're lactose intolerant!? Well then fuck it I can be arsed, I can't be arsed/Fuck it; I can't be arsed.” David's deadpan, conversational style vocals over the bright and airy pop could probably be summed up lazily as like a potty mouthed Morrissey fronting Modest Mouse; but there's something else buried deep down in these songs; some of the gorgeous, sweeping arpeggios and euphoric drum climaxes on 'Settled' seeing the band move into more Arcade Fire type experimental pop territory.

The overall sound however could probably be summed up, not lazily, as music that could turn the grumpiest old grouch into an effervescent young scamp.

Yossarian Website

Myspace