Charm School is the latest project from Andrew Sellers (formally known as Andrew Rinehart) and longtime collaborators Matt Filip, Drew English, Brian Vega, and Jason Bemis Lawrence. The name change signals a move away from Sellers’ previous songwriting efforts toward a much darker and more aggressive sound. The band have a new album `Debt Forever` out this month whose main theme is financial uncertainty (or just uncertainty in general).
The album opens with title track `Debt Forever` which races along at one hundred miles an hour with a descending speed metal/punk like guitar riff and part spoken/sung vocals blasted atop including some unusual lyrics such as `Run Rabbit Run`. There`s very much a jagged slow burn stop-start vibe to `Je j’aime (A Quoi Bon)` which translates to `I Love You (what’s the point)`.
`Boycott Everything Everywhere` is a sixty-three second headrush of mayhem. We have an almost ska-tinged offering in the thumping `Crime Time` which again sprints along at a pace.
`Cherry Red` is a pretty powerful composition and with the title possibly being a veiled reference to passion, the track itself is pretty fiery. Initially `Breaking The Waves` is pretty angular but then rushes off before switching between the two tempos for the remainder of the number.
`I Wanna Feel It` has a pretty ragged texture with a kind of controlled aggression about it whereas `Without A Doubt` is delightfully melodic and meditative. A joyous listen.
`Youthquaker` does have a tremor about it and begins with a heavy bass line before a thoughtful spoken/sung reflection joins and leads us through an irresistible foot tapper of a song. We enjoy another contemplative musing with `Figure 8` which had a really retro feel with some shimmering synths and both dreamy and endearing guitar chords shared throughout.
`Happiness is a Warm Sun` is maybe a play on the Beatles` `Happiness is a Warm Gun` from `The White Album`. A trippy, swirling, rolling arrangement which has a spoken word oration shared over the musical backdrop in a sort of nonchalant Lou Reed style. It does, slightly tip its hat to the Fab Four track musically. The band share a pretty fulsome cover of the Damned`s `New Rose`, the first single by a British punk rock band from nearly fifty years ago.
This long player closes out with `Scene Queen` a pulsating, driving mix of garage rock and punk all wrapped up in just over two minutes of joyous noise.
Charm School`s album `Debt Forever` does offer a darker and more aggressive sound from Andrew Sellers but there`s also some light in amongst the shadows and once you`ve come to terms with the initial hostility, there is much beauty to behold within.
If you enjoy the music of The Fall, Pere Ubu, Gang Of Four, Wire and Idles, you`ll love Charm School.
Rating 8.5/10
