Album Review

The Brute Chorus – She Was Always Cool

• 5th Dec 2008

The doomsayers who argue that The Brute Chorus rely far too much on the demonstrative vocals of the progeny of a vicar, James Steel are going to feast like a D-list celebrity on a stew of grubs and spiders in the jungle on hearing, ‘She Was Always Cool’.

A low-key accompaniment inclusive of rhythmic handclapping has an almost impromptu feel, as the band react to and seek to promote the wandering, slow swaggering lead vocals that dish out an extravagant, farfetched tale of romance and the loss plucked from the belly of a whale.

Dreamy acoustic woven ballad, ‘Artemissia’ displays subtlety and languidness. It’s probably a better example of the wistful and yearning side of Da Chorus. Sparse, hollow and a slow trickling acoustic guitar strokes alongside Steel’s pedestrian and thoughtful vocals to create a stirring feel.

It’s currently a time for contemplation and this B-side especially, is the perfect accompaniment to that.