Art Brut - 'Nag Nag Nag' (Mute) Released 20/11/06

Even the staunchest Art Brutophile would have to admit that their outrageously brilliant live shows are infinitely better than their records. But, wait, with ‘Nag Nag Nag’ the Brut have crafted a highly melodic work that is polished and catchy as ****. Yes, all the witty Eddie Argos’ observations are there (“Learning lyrics from the CD inlay to impress people with…”), but on top of this it bounces along with a vitality and a killer guitar line courtesy of Jasper Future and Ian Catskillin. Really it’s a top return from the band. As if this wasn’t enough, we also get a plethora of live songs, including ‘Formed a Band’ and ‘Emily Kane’, cementing just why we love Art Brut so. Top of the Pops.