Election special! Mr. Peculiar
captures the nation's mood.
There are certain artists who don't
leave you waiting too long for new stuff. Vinny Peculiar being one.
Earlier this year he released Return Of The Native, a '70s
rock 'n' punk infused belter of a album that tackled themes such as
local school rivalries, laments for lost music venues, and the love
life of an English civil war battle re-enactor. Intelligent, engaging
and great fun, it 's a record full of humour, warmth and just the
right amount of pathos. Hot on the heels of Native comes this
brand new collection (his thirteenth), an somewhat darker set of
songs for the most part centred on UK politics. Where our man
expresses understandable disappointment with our political class,
their egos and foibles, and the current standard of debate. A
righteously cynical swipe.
Vinny has been likened to Jarvis
Cocker, Roger McGough, Ray Davies, Morrissey and Tony Hancock, all
comparisons with a ring of truth, but really there's no-one quite
like him, and certainly no-one on today's scene as prolific or as
sharply acerbic. 'Vote For Me' sets the tone, a perfectly timed track
for the run-up to next month's general election. Over a haunting
piano Peculiar plays the part of an election candidate making a
series of promises and dissing his opponents. 'Pop Music For Ugly
People' follows, a driving rocky number with more of Vinny's dry wit.
Other tracks taking political aim
include 'Diane Abbott Takes A Selfie' which pokes fun at the vanity
of our political class. A much needed swipe that makes a serious
point, still manages to be funny, and sits atop a great Bowie-esque
backing. 'Culture Vulture' mixes Led Zeppelin riffs with funk-rock
basslines and references I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here,
Shakespeare and Sean Ryder.
'Ministry
Of Fate' has an '80s electronic pop feel that brings to mind OMD, a
cool catchy number that shows Vinny's lyrical skills are matched by
his ability to knock out a decent pop tune. On more familiar
territory is 'Man Out Of Time', where our dude finds himself
recalling some high points of '70s pop, a neat mood-lifting track
that recalls the themes and obsessions that runs through his previous
work, most notably on his 2011 album
Other People Like Me.
The album ends with 'Let Them Take
Drugs', a song which makes the point that religion is no longer the
opiate of the masses. That honour now goes to opiates. “Wasted
people carry no threat” sings Vinny. How quickly people in power
will write off sections of society they consider to have no worth.
You might want to think about that next time you see the shamefully
familiar sight of strung-out addicts hanging around your city's
centre.
Considering most people dry up
creatively before they reach their thirteenth album, Vinny seem to be
settling into his stride. While You Still Can may come to be
recognised as his most serious and political album to date,
addressing the nation's strange state with wit, humour and
intelligence. Let's hope his next missive reaches us soon, and that
when it does, the country will be heading in a more positive
direction.
