Tirelessly inventive west Welsh weirdo Euros Childs gives another comic turn with half an hour’s primetime S4C entertainment. Now on his sixth solo album, Childs, the former driving force of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, always provides a combination of pleasingly tuneful ditties combined with wig-out base insanity (for the uninitiated, Childs is a bilingual Ben Folds on magic mushrooms).
Situation Comedy is much closer to the poppy upbeat work of last year’s Summer Special than his earlier, darker solo efforts. Gorky’s fanboys (like myself) should think Patio Song, rather than Blood Chant. I’ve never been all that fussed about Childs’ solo work, but Situation Comedy has converted me – and I’ve been ploughing through his back-catalogue as a result.
Opener Tete a Tete is the standout tune and it has a lovely, self-deprecatingly insane Sledgehammer-ish video, which will give you a flavour of the man.
Good Time Baby (Talk To Me) is a Roxy Music-ish tune – all parping saxophones and 70s guitars – and Euros Childs channels the spirit of Brian Ferry, oozing sexiness. Tina Said, is a perfect piece of Belle and Sebastian-like jangle-pop, but the ironic mawkishness of country track, Daddy’s Girl, falls flat.
Avon Lady, Ooh La Oona and Second Home Blues are the most obviously influenced by situation comedies – all character-driven stories in the vein of Miss Trudy (albeit a little less mental). In fact, this album might better be titled Sketch Show.
But if Situation Comedy were an actual situation comedy it would be the tenth series of one for which I used to feel great fondness, but with some of the favourite characters gone. Next time, I’d like more songs in Welsh. More hard edge. More weirdness. There are hints of hippyish nonsense here, but not enough to make it an outstanding piece of work.
Despite that, I feel this is Childs’ best solo album yet. And if you’re umm-ing and ah-ing about whether to commit, Child’s National Elf label is offering the album on a “pay-what-you can” download option.
7/10
by Rob Finch
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