Human Hair - My Life As A Beast & Lowly Form

Human Hair

"My Life As A Beast & Lowly Form"

Release date: 23 June 2014

8/10

Human Hair My Life As A Beast Lowly Form

19 June 2014, 13:30 | Written by Sam Willis

(Albums)

(Human Hair)

Every so often (not too often or we’d pop a lung) a band emerges harnessing complete, unadulterated, raw, primal energy and attitudes. In hip hop we have of course Odd Future, but there's a mirage of punk outfits who also do it so, so well - not least Trash Talk, who are signed to OF's own label. Human Hair are the latest in this heritage. Founded by ex-straight-edge furniture salesman Jack Lenton and Henry Withers, the co-founder of Homerton recording studio Sound Savers, the writing duo push and pull between influences inhabiting opposite sides of the musical spectrum (vocalist Lenton takes inspiration from Nick Cave, Swans and other esoteric sounds, whilst Withers holds dear a love for Pavement and The Fall). Their debut album My Life As A Beast & Lowly Form encapsulates this tug of war, and makes for a thunderous listen.

The band have existed since 2008, but have had an uneasy time filling out a solid line up. Before now they’ve only released a handful of 7”s and gigged sporadically over the course of nearly six years. Now in full swing, the outfit have had a chance to let rip, and the outcome is pretty spectacular.

The album ponders on our animalistic tendencies – all tongue in cheek odes to lust and base thrills – offering rapturous, incinerating sounds underneath the grizzled vocals and lyrics of Lenton. Influenced by writers Frank Stanford, JG Ballard, Ted Hughes and Alan Moore, his lyrics offer down and dirty spits of filth that consistently bring a smirk to the lips.

Growling in their lead single “Hungers”, he opens: “The only thing that gets younger/Well girl are these hungers/The lingering lustings/The fingering thrustings/Are these goddamn hungers”. Later on in the track, the
chorus repeats “You’ve got to be a brave boy/You’ve got to ignore their calls/Sirens, Valkyries, godless creatures one and all”. One of the many stand outs, it encapsulates the whole thought behind the album – hungers for life, lust and joviality.

Taking it back to the very beginning of the album, “Party Sized” is another of the record’s very best and most tongue in cheek highs (“‘How big are you?’ she said/Party sized, party sized”, the chorus flirts). Throughout the album the wit, intelligence and passion of Lenton exudes, again in “Party Sized” he sings “‘Do you have a taste for poetry?’/No I Like Dostoyevsky/You’re like a morning coffee/Though I like to drown in afternoon tea.” “Book Club”, “Nail Biter”’ and “Happy Birthday” offer more fiery blasts of testosterone and spit in an album that becomes more and more enjoyable the more you decipher the lyrics and unravel the brutality of the sound.

Human Hair should make a huge impact this year and next. If you like loudness, ferocity and humour My Life As A Beast & Lowly Form is something you need to listen to. Now.