Yes this is the 6th album by long-running London Indie band Sergeant Buzfuz who, up until now, I had somehow managed to avoid hearing even though I've seen their name show up in gig listings for years. So I have no idea if this is better or worse than any of the band's previous records. But I do know that the album kind of split me in two as I love some of it and hate some of it.
The opener Move, Carmelita is okay and seems to be about poor old Carmelita who is selling her body for a fix over some OK indie rock. It really doesn't stand out and I struggled a bit to not let Joe Murphy's vocals annoy me too much. Infinite Kingdom Of Dirt has some cool call and response stuff on the chorus that sort of lifts the song up a bit but it still feels like it's missing something.
S6 Girls may have a title hinting at a Liverpudlian angle but then they spend most of the song singing about Essex Girls going on a bender in Liverpool. It has some nice ukulele in the background. House Of Spirits had a good stop-start feel to it and nice violins as he lusts after a woman who has obviously rejected him or just isn't interested in any way. This is the sort of song that will grow on you.
Why does Thin Linda think she should be called Imogen or Sadie? I have no idea and I had kind of assumed the balloons were of heroin but maybe not, this is one confusing title song. I like the music more than the lyrics that are just a bit too out there. Things You Need is the song I'd have left off the album as it really annoyed the hell out of me. I almost fast forwarded it first time I heard it and it hasn't improved with additional listening. I think it's mainly that I don't think the vocals work too well with the sedate music which is OK without the vocals.
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Finally a song I really liked. Gold Feelings is a song that builds a bit and is a cool-sounding sort of love song but easily the best thing on the album. Danny's Room seems to re-work Edison Lighthouse's Love Grows into a slightly less annoying song about a couple's son leaving home( or did he run away or has he died?). Well the song answers the question as it unfolds and this is another pretty damn good song that might bring a tear to the eye of the listener.
Molly's Bar is about being one of those guys who spends all day drinking Guinness and dreaming of something else and of the days when he was a builder. I like the Celtic feel to the backing on this song. The album then closes with Truth And Lies. Its cool acoustic guitars and tin whistle give it a mid-70's feel to it even if the vocals are more sort of John Otway circa his second album.
I'm still not totally convinced by Sergeant Buzfuz but the album is growing on me and I think it probably needs a few more listens.
Find out more at Sergeant Buzfuz online
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