Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – ‘The Dust Of Retreat’ (V2) Released 20/11/06

To be able to immerse yourself in Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s music and its lyrical substance, it’s necessary to catch up on a bit of American History first. The band hail from the landlocked State of Indiana, which is best known for being a junction state for commuters heading to Chicago and economically, a manufacturing minefield. Now with the History lesson over, it’s easier to understand why Margot’s front men, Richard Edwards and Andy Fry’s decided music would be their escape from their unoptimistic surroundings.

Understandably, the major themes expressed in ‘The Dust Of Retreat’ rise out of this feeling of entrapment and small town segregation. The albums opener ‘A Sea Chanty Of Sorts’ is a sombre love song, eased along by a marching drum line and soothing backing vocals, in which Edwards poignantly proclaims, “But we’ve got to live the best we know how.” Contrast these lyrics immediately to the coldness of ‘Skeleton Key’ a song of callous detachment, and it’s clear to see how the album stirs up new emotions around every corner.

To complement their lyrics, Edwards and Fry have extracted musicians from across the state to form Margot. This ‘pic n’ mix’ selection process means that musically ‘The Dust Of Retreat’ is hard to pin down. From the ‘funky folk’ pop sound of ‘On A Freezing Chicago Street’ the album ventures back four decades into the bizarre sounding, ‘Paper Kitten Nightmare’. Look past the “Meow Meow Meow” lyrics, and French intersections, and you’ll feel like you’ve woken up in a smoky 60’s Jazz Club. Musically, Margot don’t just look to the past though – they plan to rock you as well. ‘Quiet as a Mouse’ sees all six members contribute their talents. The result is a ‘classical trumpet induced rock anthem,’ which lyrically conveys hope, but with a hint of caution. “Wake up, the sun is rising without you,” blasts Edwards. ‘Barfight Revolution, Power Violence’ is another jazzy electronic rock gem, but with a dirty 60’s groove moving it along.

Margot have been relentlessly touring this album (released in 2005 stateside) in the USA to anyone who will listen. While touring provides the obvious cash injection, the purity of tracks like, ‘Dress Me Like A Clown,’ which features a Celtic-esque cello opening and silk soft piano riffs, means economy is the last thing that comes to mind with this debut album.

If there was ever a threat to The Guillemots melodic pop brand on the horizon, then Margot prove with this stunning debut that we haven’t been looking far enough a field to find it. What’s even better is that Margot are armed with a handful of ‘Trains To Brazil,’ and then some. A throwback to the 60’s but with one arm round the present day means ‘The Dust Of Retreat’ is a ‘back-to-the-future’ collection of songs which will affect you differently upon every listen.