Bang Bang Rock & Roll
by Art Brut
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 82 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 82
  3. Negative: 12 out of 82

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  1. SteveC
    Oct 26, 2006
    0
    Pretentious rubbish. Awful. Talentless. Highly irritating.
  2. bearlyybearlyy
    Jul 7, 2006
    5
    Lyrically it is quite creative and a few of the songs made me feel euphoric for maybe 3 listens. But musically and melodically it is barren, barren, completely barren.
  3. JustHipper
    Jun 6, 2005
    8
    Just how great is it to finally get a band who can see the whole idiocy in rock n roll and fan worship? The irony and sarcasm are hilarious and "My Little Brother" reminds me of being 21 and deluded again.
  4. aReviewer
    Apr 8, 2006
    6
    When I first listened to this album, I thought it was like the Streets at first. Then I realized, Mike Skinner is awesome, and this guy, well, isn't. If you're a fan of straightforward but otherwise uninteresting lyrics and musical style, then this is for you. It's rock-n-roll in its purest most simple form, but it's still missing something that would make it good. When I first listened to this album, I thought it was like the Streets at first. Then I realized, Mike Skinner is awesome, and this guy, well, isn't. If you're a fan of straightforward but otherwise uninteresting lyrics and musical style, then this is for you. It's rock-n-roll in its purest most simple form, but it's still missing something that would make it good. People will be sick of this album in a year.… Expand
  5. dan
    May 30, 2006
    7
    Pitchfork Syndrome, I'm afraid. Music critics who want to be rock stars love the idea of rock stars who want to be music critics. That said, it is quite entertaining.
  6. Jason
    Aug 10, 2006
    1
    I clearly missed something too because a friend just called me last night to rave about these guys. Unfortunately, I'd already heard this album and couldn't get through it a 2nd time.
  7. MikeH.
    Aug 5, 2006
    9
    If you think this bad is "stupid" its probably because you're not in on the joke. Most of Art Brut's lyrics are playing off the pretentousness of the punk/indie scene. Even songs that aren't exclicitly about it often still parody it through sheer literalism. The Strokes would certainly not write a song about their own sexual dysfunction, for instance because they are trying If you think this bad is "stupid" its probably because you're not in on the joke. Most of Art Brut's lyrics are playing off the pretentousness of the punk/indie scene. Even songs that aren't exclicitly about it often still parody it through sheer literalism. The Strokes would certainly not write a song about their own sexual dysfunction, for instance because they are trying to maintain some sort of "Rock God" persona.… Expand
  8. Marc
    Aug 4, 2008
    10
    Most of you people are crazy. This is top-shelf stuff.
  9. chuchu
    Jun 22, 2005
    10
    anon, the lyric is 'popular culture _no longer_ applies to me' big difference - it's not about not feeling superior or smug - he is talking about reading the nme for the first time in a while and feeling completely alienated. Check the lyrics - Eddy Argos is more Tony Hancock than Jarvis Cocker.
  10. lozd
    Jun 3, 2005
    3
    As the Q review says; this album is basically 2 decent singles spread over the length of an album. The re-recorded versions of those songs are overdone rehashes of the superior originals. (They've added all manner of dodgy vocal harmonies where they just aren't needed). The deadpan humour was funny when they sounded shambolic, but now they've been polished is just sounds As the Q review says; this album is basically 2 decent singles spread over the length of an album. The re-recorded versions of those songs are overdone rehashes of the superior originals. (They've added all manner of dodgy vocal harmonies where they just aren't needed). The deadpan humour was funny when they sounded shambolic, but now they've been polished is just sounds hypocritical.… Expand
  11. AdamB
    Jun 3, 2005
    9
    One of the albums of the year
  12. [Anonymous]
    Jun 6, 2005
    2
    Terrible pretentious arty rubbish. Saw them live in Dublin last weekend and they were awful. The frontman's wannabe Jarvis Cocker act is irritating at best and the few decent riffs and licks (and there are enough to suggest that the guitarist alone may have some potential) are overpowered by the maddeningly forced faux-intellectual mumblings of the lead singer. At the point where he Terrible pretentious arty rubbish. Saw them live in Dublin last weekend and they were awful. The frontman's wannabe Jarvis Cocker act is irritating at best and the few decent riffs and licks (and there are enough to suggest that the guitarist alone may have some potential) are overpowered by the maddeningly forced faux-intellectual mumblings of the lead singer. At the point where he started tunelessly proclaiming how 'Popular Culture Does Note Apply To Me' (on a loop), the audience openly started laughing. And headed for the bar. Introducing a song as 'our intellectual one' doesnt make you nerdily cool mate. Alex Kapranos, you have a lot to answer for.… Expand
  13. AlexB
    Aug 2, 2005
    8
    Solid album over-all, much more than '2 singles' in any case. Moreover, it contains the best single ever concerning erectile disfunction, which is a subject close to my... heart.
  14. ToddW
    Nov 1, 2006
    8
    If these guys ever take themselves seriously, we could be looking at another Clash, or at least Sonic Youth. This album is often smart, sometimes funny, and it ROCKS. However, in spots it's a little too cute. And cute doesn't translate well to the ugly masses. The Sheep simply never get it. Popular culture no longer applies to them. Perhaps that's a good thing for the rest If these guys ever take themselves seriously, we could be looking at another Clash, or at least Sonic Youth. This album is often smart, sometimes funny, and it ROCKS. However, in spots it's a little too cute. And cute doesn't translate well to the ugly masses. The Sheep simply never get it. Popular culture no longer applies to them. Perhaps that's a good thing for the rest of us. It would be nice to keep these guys our little secret. However, you would hope that just once, ONCE, the denizens of the dark waters of the Sewerstream would wake up and answer the door when a rcok band like Art Brut come banging.… Expand
  15. Drew
    Mar 13, 2006
    8
    Really catchy and it continues to grow on you-
  16. Nick
    Mar 2, 2006
    8
    A good album.
  17. marks
    Apr 20, 2006
    8
    [...] Although genuinely hilarious, Art Brut's Eddie Argos doesn't summon Mark E Smith as proclaimed by the English music press (for those keeping track that would be, for better or worse, LCD Soundsystem's ubergeek James Murphy). [....] Mark my words, dear readers: when Bang Bang Rock and Roll hits stateside next month, they'll be the latest and greatest kids in the [...] Although genuinely hilarious, Art Brut's Eddie Argos doesn't summon Mark E Smith as proclaimed by the English music press (for those keeping track that would be, for better or worse, LCD Soundsystem's ubergeek James Murphy). [....] Mark my words, dear readers: when Bang Bang Rock and Roll hits stateside next month, they'll be the latest and greatest kids in the Futureheads/Franz Ferdinand/Bloc Party/Arctic Monkeys new new-wave invasion [...] in fact with this release, Art Brut out-wit, out-punk, and out-Brit any of the aforementioned.… Expand
  18. Rudiger
    May 24, 2006
    10
    Funny, Smart, Lively and Catchy. An album that will stand the test of time Had me listning to it again and again
  19. Nugget
    Jun 12, 2006
    7
    'Formed A Band', the opening track, is as good a statement of intent as any album in recent memory. "We're going to be the band/ That writes the song/ That makes Israel and Palestine/ Get along", Eddie Argos yelps, and God love us, we believe him too. The (non) attitude is a clever, fresh ploy in a generation of po-faced musicians. They don't care or they care too 'Formed A Band', the opening track, is as good a statement of intent as any album in recent memory. "We're going to be the band/ That writes the song/ That makes Israel and Palestine/ Get along", Eddie Argos yelps, and God love us, we believe him too. The (non) attitude is a clever, fresh ploy in a generation of po-faced musicians. They don't care or they care too much? You decide. Trouble is, these three chord thrashers don't have the choons to stand up to Bloc Party or even the Kaiser Chiefs. It's a lot of fun, but not the sort of thing you'll be playing five years from now.… Expand
  20. AnonymousTipoff
    Jul 24, 2006
    10
    "You don't get it!"
  21. MikeG
    Aug 8, 2006
    10
    A year after this album's initial release, Bang Bang Rock 'n' Roll is already, and surprisingly, a classic. I'm not kidding, because they aren't kidding either.
  22. bobbobert
    Dec 12, 2005
    2
    theres a reason you dont hear bands like pavement and the ramones anymore. independent music has progressed to a point where we dont NEED a crazy slop fest to have fun or be honest. dont get me wrong, i love pavement. i love crazy fun slop fests. but this cd is neither crazy nor fun. its annoyingly self absorbed and stupid, and before you say something like 'it's SUPPOSED to be theres a reason you dont hear bands like pavement and the ramones anymore. independent music has progressed to a point where we dont NEED a crazy slop fest to have fun or be honest. dont get me wrong, i love pavement. i love crazy fun slop fests. but this cd is neither crazy nor fun. its annoyingly self absorbed and stupid, and before you say something like 'it's SUPPOSED to be stupid', please, let me kick you in the nuts. yes, i realize the whole gimmick of the album is that 'its funny because its dumb AND pretentious.' and yknow what? youre right, it is. but last time i checked, dumb+pretentious=suck. i mean, did i miss something? you write a song about how you started a band, and suddenly everyone thinks youre clever? uh, sure dude. y'know some bands that are clever and funny AND listenable? The unicorns, they might be giants, starlight mints, the fiery furnaces when they try to be.... so these guys play the same three chords over and over and talk about mundane stuff that they actually do, and everyone loves it because of its energy? how come no one's giving … Expand
  23. freerangechild
    Dec 21, 2005
    0
    Falkous would stomp these guys. Also, before anyone listens to this crud.... FIND OUT WHO MARK E SMITH IS There is really no excuse for not knowing by now. There is also no excuse for liking this album. Ryan Schreiber needs to be kicked in the balls.
  24. Carsten
    Dec 22, 2005
    7
    Take the wit (and elements of the singing style) of the streets - and put it to indie-rock. You have Art Brut. An interesting listen even if it's not your thing.
  25. olivere
    Dec 23, 2005
    8
    Droll, very droll. And very british, which might explain some of the negative reviews I have seen. The band rock live, and on record manage to do a ramones. Not in style or sound, but in attitude - it is dumb, it is pretentious, it is funny, and you get the true rock'n'roll feeling that they are not going to be trapped by anybody elses fixed ideas of what a proper band should Droll, very droll. And very british, which might explain some of the negative reviews I have seen. The band rock live, and on record manage to do a ramones. Not in style or sound, but in attitude - it is dumb, it is pretentious, it is funny, and you get the true rock'n'roll feeling that they are not going to be trapped by anybody elses fixed ideas of what a proper band should sing about and that they really don't care. He's just talking... to the kids!...… Expand
  26. MAGNUSU
    Dec 4, 2005
    10
    Finally someone gets it!
  27. JD
    Jun 11, 2005
    7
    [Anonymous], I think you missed the joke mate. It's all very tongue and cheek. The point is that they ARE forced faux-intellectual mumblings. To accuse them of that is to completely missing the point--accusing Sgt Pepper of being "a bit psychedelic," etc. That said, the quality of the album is a bit lacking. While Art Brut do stand out a bit more than the rest of the Maximo Park, [Anonymous], I think you missed the joke mate. It's all very tongue and cheek. The point is that they ARE forced faux-intellectual mumblings. To accuse them of that is to completely missing the point--accusing Sgt Pepper of being "a bit psychedelic," etc. That said, the quality of the album is a bit lacking. While Art Brut do stand out a bit more than the rest of the Maximo Park, Kaiser Chiefs, Killer nonsense, they didn't exactly produce a solid album. Like the others, it's fun for what it is, but anyone putting it on hoping for m ore will be let down.… Expand
  28. Bob
    Jun 13, 2005
    8
    If you think Formed a Band is faux-intellectual, nr. anonymous, you may consider picking up yr abc again . Good fun, though.
  29. anniemal
    Jun 7, 2005
    10
    ive listened to the album around 100 times already and am currently going on the 101st. so it can't be all that bad, right.
  30. theking
    Jul 14, 2005
    0
    worst band ever.
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Awards & Rankings

30
#30 Best Album of 2006
52
#52 Most Discussed Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Spin
    83
    These Brits deconstruct bombast via bombastic guitar riffs. [Jun 2005, p.108]
  2. cokemachineglow
    76
    It all adds up to blatantly catchy, deceptively simple wannabe-clever, can’t-help-but-be-cheeky art-punk.
    Read full review
  3. Mojo
    80
    Every generation needs an Art Brut. [Jun 2005, p.100]
See all critic reviews »