the Wombats

Week 25: James Marriott- Don’t Tell the Dog

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I had never heard of James Marriott when I first embarked on listening to his second album for the review. I discovered he was a YouTuber, and I honestly had a look of utter disdain when I heard that because most of their music is terrible. However, that expression quickly changed. Apparently, his debut record, “Are We There Yet?’ is also worth a listen, and I will find a window at some point. The indie artist is constantly up against it as he is labelled a “YouTube musician, ” but “Don’t Tell the Dog” might send him on the road to being respected as a serious musician in the indie scene.


Upon my first listen, I was greeted by ‘Ventriloquist’, and the minute I heard autotune, I had to skip to the next track. My eyes already rolling, expecting the album to be fucking shit. But I found myself pleasantly surprised from then on as I heard indie music that kept my interest.


Songs like ‘It’s Only Love’ showcase his vocal ability and knack for writing hooks, and I disagree that it sounds like The 1975, a band he is heavily influenced by.


Save for the opener ‘Ventriloquist’, the only other weak tracks are ’Toothache’ and ‘Food Poisoning’, which lack that earworm chorus that would turn these tracks into setlist anthems. The guitars also lack drive in ’Toothache. ‘Food Poisoning’ is lyrically brilliant, foretelling the story of a rocky relationship, but as mentioned before, it lacks that chorus, which can be found on tracks like ’Something’s Wrong’, and on that subject, let me discuss that one in the following paragraph.


It is the standout track, with a clean yet driven bassline over the verse and James’ ability to use falsetto.


Another highlight from the album is ‘Plasticine, which showcases how catchy Marriott’s songs are. This one reminded me of Liverpool outfit The Wombats during their heyday. The Wombats have a knack for doing metaphorical lyricism and dance infused with indie rock, in case you were wondering how ‘Plasticine’ is reminiscent of their sound.


Of course, like any record, there are moments of reflection and downtempo, but the album shines through when James ups the tempo and turns up the volume controls. ‘Pillow Fight’ adopts elements of Pink Floyd in the chorus, where the track picks up. Of course, like most records, the closer is reflective. James pulls out the acoustic for ‘Limbs’.


“Don’t Tell the Dog” showcases James growing as a musician, and he might be around for much longer than expected. A serious musician within him is building a strong song catalogue. It will not be long before he loses that social media tag.


Song recommendations: ‘Something’s Wrong’, ‘Plasticine’, ‘Pillow Fight’


8/10

Week 3: the Wombats- Fix Yourself, Not the World

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I remember becoming a fan of their music after their mid-2000 songs ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ and ‘I’m Moving to New York’. I heard the latter during the Christmas months while working at a supermarket. 


Anyway, there’s something unique about this album. Only a few artists have done this, from what I recall. Queen, David Bowie, Eminem and Ed Sheeran. The ability to record while not in the same studio as other band members or collaborators. That is what the Wombats have achieved with this record. The band members are in three different countries. Usually, it is just the one, but no.

Wombats did it with band members in three! Which makes “Fix Yourself, Not the World” quite spectacular. The concept is quite good as well. I mean, the title rings true. Some things are beyond our control, for example, the shit state the world is in currently. I am from the British Isles, so I can see how shit it is now and probably foreseeable. However, even though we can’t fix the world, we can indeed fix ourselves. Primarily, that should be our top priority. As they say, don’t sweat the small stuff. If we can look after ourselves mentally, our well-being is better. So, an exciting title catches your attention and makes you wonder what the album’s premise will be. I heard many experimental sounds and the band trying to reinvent themselves from that “typical indie” with which they had been labelled and saw them stagnate somewhat. I’ve always liked their music, but they did get relatively comfortable staying in one direction.


Be patient with some tracks they have experimented with because they might appear dull or alien to what you usually expect from them. For example, the title track is weird. You cannot tell it is a title track because it seems like a regular track on the album. It doesn’t scream title track. I loved the lyrical content within and the harsh message it delivered. There are plenty that are ready for the upcoming tour. 


However, the title track was not supposed to stand out judging by the length. It acts more like an outro. Some tracks are gloomy, like ‘Everything I Love is Going to Die’, a Smiths-esque title with the content and melody to fit in. The front cover was attractive. Funnily enough, I was looking for Wally among the artwork. I wish I could write more, but after being quite excited to hear it, it was an anti-climax.


Song recommendations: ‘Ready for the High’, ‘People Don’t Change People, Times Does’, ‘Everything I Love is Going to Die’


5/10