Videos

The Brute Chorus – Birdman

• 19th Jan 2011

The Brute Chorus will release Birdman, the thrid single from their album How The Caged Bird Sings on January 16th.

Recently descibed in Clash Magazine as “..Tom Verlain and Jonathan Richman gone rockabilly..” the Brutes play up to their rockabilly credentials with this Crampsesque wild caveman stomp. Following the same musical pattern as The Killer's Great Balls Of Fire but at 100mph, this song has long been a lynch pin of the band's live show as Steel bounds across the stage brandishing his maracas in a maelstrom of feedback and synths seemingly belching fire.

Beginning with a statement of intent '…I'm gonna drink myself immortal and smoke myself blind…' lines adapted from a 17th Century hymn by dissident religious sect The Ranters and with the rest of the song inspired by the African Voodoo practises taking place in New Cross near to where Steel was living as a student the song describes an urban witch doctor in a transcendental frenzy casting love spells on a woman who lives on his floor “… I'll free your mind and I'll touch your soul, I'll put the fire in your heart, I'll put the sugar in your bowl…” and so on.

New Yorker David Fishel (The Drums – Let's Go Surfing, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip – Sick Tonight) has directed the video for the song, his second collaboration with The Brute Chorus and shot entirely in America.

Once again the accompanying artwork is designed by fabled London tattooist Mo Coppoletta based on an image of Victorian philanthropist Sir Henry Wellcome wearing a feathered headress. Wellcome's Medicine Man collection in Euston is also a source of inspiration for many of Steel's lyrics.

Birdman is taken from The Brute Chorus second album How The Caged Bird Sings which is set for European release in Feburary which will be accompanied in the UK by a special edition CD including the album artwork poster.

The album and single are released by East London indie label Tape. The Brute’s home since Christmas 2009.