The Victorian English Gentlemens Club

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Soundclips

4...according to our Brian on Thu 09 Jun, 2011.

I used to love that '...Hermit Mark' tune by these. They've remained on the fringes of the UK indie circuit for years now, deliriously peddling a rather eccentric brand of twangy, possessed guitar pop that is quite impossible to categorise or pigeonhole in any scene (thank God). 'Bag of Meat' is their third big record and although I'm not particularly taken with the eponymous opener, the subsequent 'A Conversation' totally revives my spirits, recalling early Sons & Daughters having a roll in the hay with cult irritants Los Campesinos. I still like the singer's strange yelp of a voice, as showcased on the bizarre new wave/glam/stoner vibe of 'Richer Than my Tribe' which is quite excellent, as are many tracks here. They still sound like they're a tad possessed and despite the faintly ludicrous nature of some of the themes and lyrical concerns, this is powerful, catchy and original indie pop/rock that has that manic, demented progressive edge beloved of bands such as Cardiacs and Huddersfield's premier prog-pop weirdos The Scaramanga Six. I'd confidently declare this to be as satisfying, passionately delivered and erm...meaty as previous albums. No difficult third for these oddball funsters!!!

To play these clips you need to either update your browser (Norman Records recommends Google Chrome) or update your Flash plugin.

The Victorian English Gentlemens Club are set to release their third album, 'Bag Of Meat', via This Is Fake DIY Records in June 2011. The album, the follow-up to 2009's 'Love On An Oil Rig' was recorded over nine months in Cardiff, again working with producer Charlie Francis. The band describe the record as having 'two halves': the first, "a reaction to the last album, heavier and darker with lots of layers of brutal noise", and the second "a return to our earlier stuff - quirkier and emptier, more vocal lead". The songs are nearly all sub-three minutes. The songs are about heart attacks, beheading, car crashes, John Denver, Paul Daniels, meat, tribes and addictions to accident speculation. The Victorian English Gentlemens Club are Louise Mason, Adam Taylor and James Griffiths. Louise and Adam are vegetarian. The Victorian English Gentlemens Club are an aggravated three-piece band making underground pop racket in the pop underground racket of Cardiff. TVEGC get pleasure from building cold-hearted, bass-heavy music with hard edges and brutality with all of their drums, lungs, hearts and guitars. They also use an electric mandolin, an Indian shruti harmonium, a self-made bow-screamo (wire nailed to wood and played with a bow), sparrows and a church bell hit with a hammer. They listen to Liars, Grinderman, '154' by Wire, Deerhoof, Cardiacs and 'Flowers of Romance' by PiL, but have an affinity with the three-minute pop song.

Tracks:

1. Bag Of Meat 2. A Conversation 3. Richer Than My Tribe 4. Lost My Face In A Fast Car Race 5. Fire In The Wife 6. Pistol Whipped 7. My Imagination Can't Save Me Now 8. As Jungle Drums Rang Across The Amazon (We Held Our Heads And Screamed) 9. Card Trick With A Chimp 10. John Denver's Wife 11. Not Waving But Drowning

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!