I took a friend of mine to see Clutch a few years back. I loved the opening act that night. She hated them.
That’s what happens when you encounter The Inspector Cluzo. You love them. Or you hate them. There’s no in-between.
There’s no rulebook for what they do. There’s a bit of rock ’n’ roll to “Win Together, I’m Losing Alone,” but don’t expect choruses, verses, or anything to be in its conventional spot.
What do you expect from two French farmers? But even by the standards of duos (there’s something about two-pieces that is unhinged), this is mad stuff. “As Stupid As You Can” has harmonies that come out of nowhere, psych bits too – but all inside four minutes.
Likewise, “Catfarm” might start with a big old stoner groove, but there’s a reggae tinge before it’s done, and the lyrics seem to be a tribute to their furry friends.
The answer to this comes in the song “Rules.” The hook tells you all: “Give me a rule and I’ll break it.” And as a creed, that’ll do, right?
The gravelly vocals and guitar work give “Thoreau” a classic rock feel, while “Greenwashers” – which rails against corporations including Spotify (which I might be listening to this on) – is a real highlight.
“Less Is More” tackles materialism head-on, but while they have plenty to say, they are also superb songs. Quirky, yes – like a rock ’n’ roll Sparks – but superb, most definitely. “Mr Fameless” is all about energy, but let’s be honest: if these boys cared about fame, they’d write different songs.
Instead, they write “Workers,” about the power of a union (Billy Bragg would be proud!), while “Almost Cut My Hair” is what happens when you consider fitting in. But where’s the fun in that?
They are adept at acoustic songs too, and although there’s just the one here, “Journey Man,” with its spoken-word delivery, ends things with them on the road – and just as much as the farm, surely this is where they belong.
“It’s all about freedom,” they had sung on “Rules.” And that’s the thing. Whatever the populists say, true freedom surely isn’t doing whatever you want no matter the cost to others. It’s when you stop caring what anyone else thinks.
That’s how Less Is More gets made.
Rating: 8.5/10
