by Paul Hallows
Pagan Wanderer Lu – Perfection R.I.P.
****
Firstly, I feel as though I should apologise to Andy Regan, A.K.A. Cardiff’s very own Pagan Wanderer Lu. I have certainly given records more auspicious first plays than as accidental soundtracks to my sleepy washing up. Unbeknownst to me, his new E.P. ‘Perfection R.I.P.’ filtered through to my bathroom, leading me to think that iTunes had rather pleasingly found me a new Belle & Sebastian album. Wait, how long has Stuart Murdoch been sticking glitchy bits in his songs for? And did I just hear the line “spray the foam on the boy’s pectoral”? Upon closer inspection, what turned out to be Pagan Wanderer Lu’s latest effort combines the three features that underpin those questions beautifully. Melodies that scream pop while staying on the right side of cloying are offset by some extremely dark, witty lyrics delivered in an endearing Bolton accent. The opener ‘The Gentleman’s Game’ is possibly the best representation of this, with shimmering electronics underpinning wonky bass and Casio beats with plaintive reflections on how “we are loath to live vicariously, through the sporting achievements of our country”. The quality doesn’t let up from hereon in, and I defy anyone not to start happily singing along to “Perfection of a Simple Life” before suddenly stopping with the slow, cold realisation that you’ve been merrily mouthing lines like “and if they find those bodies buried under your immaculate lawn…”. As a whole, it’s an E.P. that’s a world away from its self-deprecating title. Indeed, as new single and highlight ‘Tree of Knowledge suggests”, if you don’t like it, you can “fuck his apples”. Charming.
