Everyone appreciates a court jester (or they should). Traditionally, the jester was employed in courts and homes of monarchs and other members of the rich, privileged aristocracy in order to entertain them, to help take their minds off their troubles. Moreover, certain modern scholarship declares that jesters were often political tools in a king’s court: they were allowed to speak harshly or critically regarding a certain custom or series of events without fearing retribution, because they represented the “fools” who spoke against the king. Thus, these jesters had the ability to make fools of themselves in public, while clearly being one of the most intelligent and informed members of society - only someone truly quick-witted could poke fun at one’s potential executioner on a regular, for-pay basis.
So it seems that the three men of The Wombats, whether intentionally or not, have styled themselves as the jesters of the modern UK rock scene. Their debut LP The Wombats Proudly Present… A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation (releasing on June 24th, 2008 in the US) is chock full of songs that are carefully crafted indie-punk anthems, containing smart, cheeky ruminations on the wild situations and mood swings that permeate life (whether we admit it or not). The themes and riffs are familiar, but the presentation is brilliantly twisted: songs like “Kill The Director” and “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” serve as cogent examples of how the band addresses clichéd topics like lost love and misunderstood youth with both unbridled enthusiasm and a serious awareness. It’s this consciousness that allows this band to reject making maudlin, middling, morose music, and bring a fresh perspective to the eternal conversations between girls and boys about girls and boys. This is an album that addresses some heady topics, but does so with upbeat, frenetic tunes that makes it impossible for the listener not to pogo about with glee. Like the jester of old, The Wombats bring the noise and bring the fun to some serious situations, managing to make the assembled crowd smile with witty, intelligent perspectives on dry discourse.
-- Adam P. Newton [June 16, 2008]
