Sarandon - Sarandon's Age Of Reason (Vinyl LP, CD)

Turns out I've not done enough reviews yet this week so I'm the lucky sucker who gets to review the Sarandon LP. I believe I've come into contact with these lads before and as I recall they create agitated post-punk with a hint of brit-pop tweeness. 'Saradon's Age Of Reason' sees the lads tackling the tricky terrain of the concept album. This one comes complete with in between track narration from The Shend (The Cravats, The Very Things) who regales us with wisened and miserable commentary on modern life. He sounds like pissed up Alan Moore basically. It appears to be an everyman tale of modern British life but I've not got the time to listen to and decipher the entire concept. Musically the group are at their strongest with a growing sense of maturity becoming apparent with each new release. Primarily Sarandon deal in angular rock centred around precise top-heavy guitars and vocals ably backed by a solid rhythm section capable of generating all sorts of dynamic shapes. For some reason the whole concept angle reminds me of the british quirk of the first few Genesis albums with a hint of Blur's 'Parklife' but musically it's more like Gang Of Four playing the hits of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band with the added angst of Chips For Poor. They're at their best on tracks like 'Mustn't Grumble' and 'Perky I & II' where their angular post-punk and cheeky lyrical phrasing brings to mind the genius of post-hardcore stuff like Joeyfat. It's a strange record to make in 2011 but I'm sure it'll be appreciated by many.