It is always quite curious to see what direction a band decides to go after stumbling upon unexpected success. This Liverpool collective first appeared in 2004 with the excellent Who Killed The Zutons? and then followed it up with Tired Of Hanging Around, which was even better than their debut release. The reaction they received to that second album elevated them to the outskirts of the mainstream as a number of their songs flooded the airwaves. However, the big plug for them came when Amy Winehouse did a cover version of the song Valerie. Since then people have been eagerly awaiting their third album.
Those that have recently been converted to their upbeat style of indie rock will be happy to know that You Can Do Anything threads on similar ground. It is packed with chirpy ballads, domesticated adventures, and a few surprises. Lead singer Dave McCabe once again leads from the front and his Scouse-heavy accent reveals a charm that is hard to ignore on tracks like Family of Leeches and Freak. The contributions from the other band members is key to making it all work with Abi Harding taking time away from her saxophone duties to lend vocals to a few of songs.
With the nature of the band’s style there is immediacy to the majority of the twelve tracks that presents itself in a hook-laden dressing. Yet, when the lyrics are dissected and the beats are stripped down, there is an underbelly to this album that suggests not all is well in the world. Of course, this is not a new discovery but it does expose an experimental streak in the band’s songwriting as they attempt to highlight issues that normally wouldn’t make their way into radio-friendly tunes. One of the things to note about this album is that guitarist Boyan Chowdbury is no longer around, yet oddly enough the band’s sound is a lot more clinical. That isn’t to say that Chowdbury held them back on previous releases, but they certainly approach the songs on this album in a more confident manner and that translates in it being a very entertaining record.
