No danger of suicide here
Bands often claim mid-gig that their continued existence could not happen without the support of their fanbase and for groups such as London-based Imperial Leisure, the release of their fan-funded album Death To The One Trick Pony would obviously not be possible without the backing of their loyal followers. Fusing ska, punk and hip-hop, the British troupe has sculpted an inspired sound, coating it further with layers of electronic detail.
The fourteen track release kicks off with opener Clown at the Funeral, with the song building an eruption of jiving offbeat guitar chords, duelling brass outbursts and forceful vocals before leading into the energetic, feet-shuffling Number One. Although still retaining its punk edge, Dance Floor adopts quite a heavy indie feel and it's with this sound that the commercial potential of Imperial Leisure begins to surface most prominently.
To label Death To The One Trick Pony as a ska/punk release may be a bit misleading, particularly with the inclusion of tracks like All In Good Time. The song may not necessarily boast the strongest vocal performance, but the reverb-laden brass leads sing beautifully; the trumpet and trombone not only unite well, but they play off each other naturally as their parts divide.
The simplicity of 2011 single Dead Model's chorus makes it an instantly accessible hit, with the punchy vocal shouts of the song's title embedding themselves in your mind. The focus on simplicity and minimalism continues with the song I Thought They'd Love You, with a good proportion of the song bearing little more than the skeletal structure laid out by the bass. Its eventual form is pleasingly fleshed out, but the opening exposed state somewhat lacks the tender tone that would elevated its effectiveness.
Bitter and Twisted is a firm transformation back to the group's electronic-tinged strand of punk, once again striking with a memorable choruses amid animated verses. Latest single London To Brighton offers a delightfully catchy chorus; certainly a highlight of the album that exhibits the potential of this vibrant British outfit, with the capital city dialect of the vocals stamping a proud badge of British identity on the band's sound.
The pace of the album is maintained with Talk To Me, rhythmically characterised by accented off-beat hi-hat strokes and sneaky snare fills. Saturday Night strides into motion with a soothing trumpet timbre, gently establishing its comforting nature that enlivens during moments of climax. Song For Paul is a gorgeous conclusion to the album, with the guitar work and trumpet melodies blending superbly. The intonation on the trumpet performance is not quite perfect, with the leaping composition of the brass instrument's melodies possibly responsible; it's definitely nothing terribly offensive to the ears, one just wonders whether lyrical motifs of a more scalic nature would have posed less of a problem.
Should you be seeking a purer fusion of ska and punk, then this is unlikely to be the album that you're looking for. Imperial Leisure incorporates these influences into their music well, but their intention is clearly to deliver a more diverse sound with dynamism and a strong sense of indivualism. Time to put the one trick ponies to sleep; welcome and musically embrace the birth of Imperial Leisure.