If you've ever seen Art Brut live, you've probably witnessed the band leading the crowd in a chant of "Art Brut! Top of the Pops! Art Brut! Top of the Pops!" Now, they're releasing a "best-of" compilation and calling it Top of the Pops. The two-disc set is out April 16 on The End Records, includes one disc of singles, in chronological order, along with two new songs, and another disc of b-sides, covers, live tracks and demos.
In a press release, the band writes:
Art Brut have been called many things over the course of our career, not all of them polite. The thing we get called most often is an 'art band', which I accept is totally our fault for putting the word Art in our name. However, Art Brut have never seen ourselves as an art band, we have been adamant since we began that we are, in fact, a classic rock band.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to begin your career as a classic rock band, no matter how often you persist in referring to yourself as one.
Over the last ten years, however, Art Brut have been tirelessly working towards the moment we could finally call ourselves a classic rock band and know in our heart of hearts that it was true. Our mission is finally complete.
After the tracklist, watch the video for "Emily Kane".
Top of the Pops:
Disc 1:
01 Formed a Band
02 My Little Brother
03 Emily Kane
04 Modern Art
05 Good Weekend
06 Direct Hit
07 Nag Nag Nag Nag
08 St Pauli
09 Pump Up The Volume
10 DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake
11 Alcoholics Unanimous
12 Summer Job
13 Demons Out!
14 Axl Rose
15 Sexy Sometimes
16 Lost Weekend
17 Sealand
18 Arizona Bay (new song)
19 We Make Pop Music (new song)
Disc 2:
01 Formed a Band (early Keith Top of the Pops version)
02 Bad Weekend (early Keith Top of the Pops version)
03 These Animal Menswear (B-side)
04 Modern Art (early Keith Top of the Pops version)
05 Maternity Ward (B-side)
06 Blame It on the Trains (produced by Russell Senior)
07 Post Soothing Out (produced by Russell Senior)
08 St Pauli (produced by Russell Senior)
09 About Time (B-side)
10 Ignorance Is Bliss (B-side)
11 Catch (the Cure cover)
12 Modern Art (recorded for Berlin Live)
13 Just Desserts (alt. version of B-Side to "Alcoholics Unanimous")
14 Moved to L.A. (Art Brut vs. Satan iTunes exclusive)
15 Weird Science (B-side)
16 Positively 5th Street (B-side)
17 Unprofessional Wrestling (download only)
18 The Great Escape (We Are Scientists/Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
19 Her Majesty (Beatles cover, arranged by Black Francis)
20 Post Soothing Out (recorded for Berlin Live)