Limbo Panto - Wild Beasts Album Review

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Album Review

Wow ! Brilliant debut. Next big thing?

Wild Beasts conjures up images of a hairy thrash metal band – this band couldn’t be further from it. Their brand of sophisticated pop is outstandingly refreshing.

Predictions are tricky, but one thing’s for sure, the Wild Beasts will be recruited for Glastonbury in the very near future. This magnificent Leeds-based ‘new age’ quartet – Hayden Thorpe (guitar/lead vox) Tom Fleming (bass/backup vox) Ben Little (lead guitar) Chris Talbot (drums), fall somewhere between the drama of Queen and pop sensibilities of say Haircut 100 or Orange Juice. Thorpe’s stunning falsetto is a major, major highlight, with colours of Erazure’s Andy Bell and Antony Hegarty (and The Jonsons) which occasionally turns into a bit of a grating snarl. So be ready for something really different. Their music is tailor made for arenas actually, so it won’t be long before they’re supporting a major act. Limbo, Panto is a very special album indeed, recorded in Malmo Sweden with Tore Johannson (Franz Ferdinand /Cardigans) at the knobs, so they’re in safe hands, because collectively they’re created a bit of a monster.

Thorpe manages to sustain a high level of vocal gymnastics throughout which is quite remarkable. The roller-coaster ride starts with pounding drums and Thorpe stating his intent on the hook-laden beauty Vigil For Fuddy Duddy – what a way to introduce yourself. The Club Of Fathomless Love is a melodramatic tsunami, gushing with an enormous sound that’s almost overwhelming, whereas The Devil’s Crayon adopts an Orange Juice jangly riff riding over a pulsating beat and the most accessible radio-friendly song so far. Queen and old music hall stylings pop up on the theatrically based whopper Woebegone Wanderers. This is the kind of song Freddie would have relished. The next two, The Old Dog and Please Sir are soaring songs of great beauty. It won’t be long before they’re picked up for a TV or film soundtrack. On His Grinning Skull, Thorpe lowers the register on this chunky drifter lead by a pulsating bassline. They return to an Orange Juice funky beat on the dance floor / radio friendly Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants. Going out in style, Cheerio Chaps…is full of operatic tendencies done in an almost mocking fashion.

Limbo, Panto won’t be everyone’s cup o’ tea, nevertheless they remain a very promising band who have the talent to evolve into something very special.

File under: Bold. Brave. Unforgettable.

Elly Roberts