Wild Beasts Eat Your Lunch And Sing Their Way Out Of Prison.

Hayden Thorpe and Tom Fleming of Wild Beasts share vocals and their delivery and annunciation is  simultaneously fresh and archaic. Hayden’s voice is that of an incredibly talented schizophrenic, switching effortlessly between refined falsetto and a low Mr. Hyde growl. Fleming’s low tenor as well as drummer Bert’s baritone are baroque in the sense that the notes sung are long and sustained, evoking an almost religious emotion, proper and depraved.

The English countryside upbringing shared by the band is beautifully written into their songs. In “All The King’s Men” Bert and Fleming sing a deep backup melody that reminded me of the enchanting and haunting style known as Gregorian Chant. Their singing is jolly, yet serious and rolls along with the drum creating a percussive chant that anchors the song. Benny’s harp-like strings allow Thorpe’s lead falsetto to accelerate and lace itself fluidly throughout the song.

Wild Beasts catalog contains tracks that are like thin rivers covered in sand and small rocks. The sounds they produce tumble and trickle alongside one another colorfully. Even Thrope’s vocals sound as if they are passing through his entire body, like a continuous stream, rather than merely forming at his mouth. Their finest songwriting comes through on “The Devil’s Crayon.” You literally hear Thrope’s voice breaking apart as the song is whipped tight and crashes into a bridge.

www.wild-beasts.co.uk

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