It’s been a while since the last Earnest Cox offering. Last year’s "S**t off my Shoe" was a blistering storm of a song that reminded us that the four guys and a gal called Earnest could do no wrong.
Now they are at it again with a slightly changed line up featuring new recruit Richard Willoughby on drums. This is not a Love Song The State of That single is something of a departure for this band in that the opening song is, for once, not about a relationship. Previous lyrics have been heavily themed around the idea of a song for the dumped (or dumpee). Such songs have taken the form of noisy, funky rants ("Two Can Play at that Game") or quieter tenderer tracks of many tears ("Stuntman Shoes"). This is the Modern World But "State of That" is a different beast altogether. Eschewing the minefield of failing relationships, the song takes as its subject the pros and cons of the modern world. "Isn’t the Internet brilliant" La Windo enthuses in one of the most unusual opening lines I’ve heard of late (the insipidity of "There are nine million bicycles in Beijing" rules Katie Melua’s candidacy out by default). With such observations on the wonder of net surfing, a more profit driven band may have produced this track with an eye on sound-tracking an ad for a broadband provider. Modern Life is Rubbish/Brilliant But until the glorious day when this track forms the delicious filling in our Coronation Street sandwich, we will just have to content ourselves that Mssrs. Cox have turned up trumps again. The song starts up with a squelchy synth organ sound last used on the opening to the Ghostbusters theme tune. This keyboard riff underscores an aural assault of ferocious drumming, revved up guitars La’s wonderful, as-standard sneer. The end result is a fast and furious race through 21st century life. It’s not Time to make a Change… Second track, "Can’t Keep You Straight" courts traditional Coxian attitudes, if not themes.
While their songs are normally about failed/failing romantic relationships, this one seems to be more about a relationship between father and son: how the father makes mistakes ("stuck here in a mess of my own making") and how that affects the son ("Can’t keep you straight"). It’s a vicious circle ("How many times is this scene to be repeated?"). The song is delivered against a backdrop of horns, evoking memories of mid-to-late nineties Britpop bands use of the same (Blur and The Beautiful South both used a group called "The Kick Horns").
The track blends indie with funk and a hint of gospel (listen to the Hammond organ effects behind the monologue if you don’t believe me). Hype, Believe the Reviews of Earnest Cox by this particular reviewer may seem a little hagiographical. Although that would suggest that (a) they are saints – which they are probably not and (b) they are dead – which they are certainly not.
Phrases like "can do no wrong" are splattered across my reviews like the words are going out of fashion. But occasionally, just occasionally, hype is there to be believed. That time may well be now.
Believe the hype. Believe the hype. Aren’t Earnest Cox brilliant? | 
