There is something so charming and quirky about this album, it’s just infectious.
Protest Crayon bring a playful absurdity to the sometimes twee and rather trite genre of vocal synth pop. The Bristol duo of Neil and Paul have been providing live shows that are so infectious that I dare anyone not to enjoy them, and if someone claims not to, they are lying! As fellow residents of my town of Bristol I’ve seen them play many times, and honestly, they kill it. The banter between tracks is worth the entry fee alone, but when they actually get round to playing there is an intriguing juxtaposition of introspective sounding vocals from Neil, often belying tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and ridiculously over the top drumming from Paul who is like a hyperactive child after a couple of pounds of blue smarties (before they took the bonkers chemical out) and a quarter gallon of Red Bull inside him. Plus, the endless array of unlikely instruments ranging from kids toys to glockenspiels and various bits of ramshackle electronic gear simply beggars belief. If this pair of grinning fools were stranded on a desert island, they would be creating dumb tunes with instruments fashioned from coconuts, crab shells and palm leaves stretched between branches in no time. They really look like they are having the time of their lives each time they play, something very refreshing to see amidst the hordes of guys and girls who are so cool they dare not crack a smile. One gets the feeling Protest Crayon are unable not to make music, if you’ll pardon my double negative.
The boy’s debut album out now on Bit Phalanx is an attempt at capturing the essence of the duo. Obviously the banter of the live show is missing, but the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and quirky synth lines sound great. Having mentioned the style of lyric a few times, I should say that actually there are some poignant moments mixed with the playfulness. The songs, when heard in this more focused context show themselves to be proper well written tracks with a legitimate commercial potential. Not that that bears any relevance to the quality of the music, oftentimes quite the reverse is true, but there is something so charming and quirky about this album, it’s just infectious. The genre is most definitely synth pop, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those willing to venture into these traditionally murky waters, there is a substantial reward waiting.
Blessing, Cleaning and Cutting is available on Bit Phalanx
