Head of Light Entertainment
I Am Liberated
Northern Round Square Records

Carl Green once played with the Gorillaz-like cartoon indie band the Close-Ups, but now he's on his own with this clever record. He sings in a dry, laconic and somewhat Luke Haines-like way to a stripped-down backing.

"I cannot speak Japanese" flirts with that country's culture in a superficial but amusing way. "Lady Godiva's Horse" is about exactly that and is curiously funny, like a lively Pulp on a weird day. It's got an upbeat mood, and deserves a lot of attention. "Swan Around" celebrates frivolous behavior in scenic locations with suitable verve. The tune is sharp enough to lodge itself in your head for days on end. Elsewhere he contemplates the death of a supermodel, on "Ghastly" he steals Nick Lowe's inspired rhyming of that word with "Rick Astley".

He mourns the death of England as a nation to be admired on the album closer. This album is a thing to be admired though, since it's witty and sparkling.

Copyright © 2010 Anna Maria Stjärnell