Have you ever sat in wonderment while gazing at the unintelligible, spite-filled depths of social media and thought to yourself “self, is the world really this stupid?” Have you ever thought the spiral of humanity has become slightly entertaining while you cultivate cynicism and an unexplained amusement over the sheep mentality?
While it almost feels like there should be some black and white infomercial image of some poor sole simply trying use a fork here, the key to finding a musical link between your personality and what I shall refer to as the “Clubhouse of Solitude” lies in the art of fun rock duo Charlie Recksieck and Spud Davenport.
Under the moniker Leaders in the Clubhouse, Recksieck and Davenport released Won in June. While I was unaware that there was even a competition, let’s get these gentlemen a damn trophy; damn quick.
Won is a quirky, kitschy assembling of humorously intelligent reflections of the modern human condition. And the intimate audible habits of a female; there’s that too. But on the whole, the ten tracks reflect bar jazz sense fused with piano/horns/guitar constructs that remind me of 90s theme songs on crack, only, with writing that I cannot deny is the splash of brilliance that makes this record something worth your time.
Sure it sounds like Ben Folds Five, I’m talking The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner BF5. And sure one looks strangely like Mark Cuban in the album jacket. But Leaders in the Clubhouse have mastered a sleight of hand style that will make those who revel in participation trophies, need the latest/greatest tech gadgets, and panic when the media tells them to panic turn the other way while leaving those of us who can use a fork to eat it up. The sometimes over exaggerated method to the madness of Recksieck and Davenport are matched with lyrics like “Hello/social networks I’ve been gone a while/I really doubt/that I’ve been missed/but due to difficulties beyond my control/I will now smash my devices into bits”. My hat is off to this duo that can take the absurdity of everyday social trends and reflect on them in a way that not only conveys the ridiculousness, but makes it entertaining and catchy as hell.
Won has sincerely won. Not because Leaders in the Clubhouse are the self-proclaimed winners, but because in ten tracks LitC have made more meaningful music than Taylor Swift and Beyonce have ever created; combined. And when reflecting on the quality of the message I will leave you with this quote from a prominent, fore-thinking thespian: “Winning!”
Now go get yourself a trophy.
Greg is a co-founder and regular contributor of Nanobot Rock.