krcl: : Let's Wrestle: Poking Fun, Not Pointing Fingers (2010-07-30)

POP

Let's Wrestle: Poking Fun, Not Pointing Fingers

The U.K. trio Let's Wrestle doesn't make music for its art, but for its attitude. Still, its disposition is friendly: There's not a scrap of cynicism here. Coming from the group's American debut, "We Are the Men You'll Grow to Love Soon" sounds like the arrival of the welcome wagon. by Anthony Fantano The U.K. trio Let's Wrestle doesn't make music for its art, but for its attitude. Still, its disposition is friendly: There's not a scrap of cynicism here, and nothing that hints at the snotty sounds of The Fall, The Damned or The Sex Pistols. Which is surprising, given that the band's style doesn't venture too far from that neck of the woods. The recording is new, but the messy vocals, thin bass and burning guitar chords sound decades older.

Let's Wrestle would rather poke fun than point fingers, even if there's a problem that needs fixing. A look at the title of the band's new album makes that clear: In the Court of the Wrestling Let's. It's the group's American debut, and "We Are the Men You'll Grow to Love Soon" sounds like the arrival of the welcome wagon. The idea of love is nice, but this longwinded hook is dispensed as if getting sucked in is the only option. Considering the strength of Let's Wrestle's sophomoric charms, giving up free will has never been so easy. Copyright 2010 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.