This British group’s new album, The House That Dirt Built, their second full-length to date, is a dizzying array of funky, horn-driven hard-rock and reggae, splattered with multiple side-show sound effects and narrative-like conceptual bits. These bits range from a scary movie intro sample to a tumbleweedy, western-tinged interlude, and they don’t let up once the album begins. The experience is a lot like watching a well versed, enthusiastic cover band genre-hop at a county fair, complete with Elvis suit, Bob Marley wig, and multiple set changes.
The Heavy – Short Change Hero
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The Heavy definitely know their influences and aren’t afraid to flaunt them, and to give them credit, they do it well. Still, the first two real tracks (after the intro) are the only tracks where all these random elements come together to form something more than an extremely well-produced genre tribute. These two tracks, “Oh No! Not You Again!” and “How You Like Me Now,” are straight up rock and roll songs by a band, not a gimmick, and don’t try to be anything more. Unfortunately, the remainder of The House That Dirt Built feels uninspired (see the lyrics) and overproduced (see any of the show-bizy streaks that litter the thing). This is a shame because the band, and even more so the producers of this record, are very capable of creating convincing sounds. What’s lacking is convincing intentions.
Perhaps on future releases The Heavy will take off the costumes, lose the props, and find the band that they hint at underneath.
Lordy, I don’t know what you’re on, but your review couldn’t be more jaded. I had the pleasure of seeing them live and there is little or no gimmick about any of this album’s songs. Yes they hop around 90 years of music like fleas on a corps, but that is by choice. Sometimes, just sometimes, bands have the guts to be broad.
There were a few before them, I can think of a foursome with one Frederick Bulsara singing and playing piano and I can think of A(labama)3’s album “Power in the Blood”, and you probably would have written them next to the Bismarck as well if you had the chance.
I admire what the Heavy try to do with their music, they step out of the mold of hitmaking-land and dare to stick out where evereything else stinks of X-factor blandness. This album is varied and uses the legacies of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Ike Turner without compromising either and throws in some fire that I lately only have seen matched by Anouk and by the Jackson Analogue.
I know you are paid for to be critical, but if you don’t love music as a language of the Human Heart it easily turns to cynicism. This is a way out of computer edited plink plonk and I welcome it. I have featured them last week on my radio hour and will try to get them in the studio when they are in town.