Art Theefe –
Dig Deep (Stolen Heart Records)
Led by Matt Sage, Art Theefe is a three-piece band from Oxford with a
nice line in literate folk-rock, which effortlessly emphasizes both parts of
the genre equation. Sage, of course, is equally well known as the proprietor of
Oxford’s famous Catweazle Club (the Oxford hangout for singers, poets, acoustic
musicians, performers, etc.) where he still regularly performs.
Dig Deep is an accomplished album of songs, heavy on hooks and
lyrically dense, with plenty of interesting reference points from the
Radiohead-lite meets Richard Hawley pop licks of opening cut ‘I Have Named You
The Queen’ to the small ‘g’ gothic, almost bluesy desperation of ‘Cold Dark
Night’. Both tracks are excellent.
They’ve also got a thing for eye-catching song titles; ‘I Trained
A Spy’ never quite lives up to its promise, though it’s a close run thing.
Instrumental ‘Steely Jam’ is so rhythmically sound, it’s impossible not to be impressed
(think a Home Counties Neu!), and ‘Golden Switch’ builds around a jangly riff
that’s not easily forgotten. Great stuff.
Rollo
