Falsettos have recently been tied to comedy or musical spoofs (insert The Darkness reference here), with most artists too afraid of the delicate tactic to actually implement it into their sound. Like Antony and the Johnsons, however, it works damn well for some.
Wild Beasts somehow retain a sort of seductiveness on our Jam of the Day, “All the King’s Men,” that pertains more to the revolutionary performers of the ‘50s, even if the percussion and thick guitar progression sound distinctively from recent years. They effortlessly elude to the stereotypes of melodramatic post-punk with a youthful, finger-snapping impression that prepares their style for a generation full of romanticized drama kings and queens.
“All the King’s Men” is more than apt for that sort, being direct in its respective descriptions of death and desperation over mumbled vocals that weep and yelp over anguished guitar lines. The bass lines are subtler than typical post-punk, but the dramatics are still there, stuffed with pop-oriented theatrics that make the style more accessible for those somewhat opposed to the likes of Joy Division or The Cure.
Give it a spin below – and if you like it, pick up their Mercury Music Prize nominated album Two Dancers which is out now.