Bric-a-Brac

by Death by Chocolate

Overview

The two albums of light and breezy, mod '60s lounge-psych, spoken-word-meets-soundtrack-to-The Avengers that Death by Chocolate released at the turn of the 2000s seemed like brilliant one-offs, never to be repeated. Amazingly, they returned ten years after Zap the World with a new album, Bric-a-Brac, which sounds like it could have been recorded ten minutes after they finished Zap. The group, now down to vocalist Angela Tillett, keyboard whiz Jez Butler, and Canadian soundtrack composer Jason Frederick, takes the same tongue-in-cheeky approach to its sound and delivers an album with exactly the same amount of silly fun and cocktail charm as exhibited before. The songs are short and sweet, topics ranging from new motorbikes, to the ever popular day out, to hotels of the 1960s, with Tillett's note-perfect spoken vocals surrounded by warm vintage keys, plinky drum machines, and a clean, sparkling production. As before, there's not a single bit of sweat or emotion on display; the album is pure smooth pleasure from start to finish. Though times have changed and the music seems even more quaint than it did in 2002, Bric-a-Brac has the benefit of being doubly nostalgic, calling to mind the easy space-age joys of the 1960s and the tail end of the cocktail revival. A welcome return in every way. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	02/07/2012
Label:	Darla / Darla Records
UPC:	0708527025123
Rank:	118393

Tracks

1. The Royal Danieli -- 1964
2. Are You Being Served?
3. Bric-a-Brac
4. The Periodic Table
5. Something for Jez
6. My New Old Organ
7. Amstel Hotel -- 1963
8. Kosmonaut
9. Bantam Motorbike
10. Hotel de la Poste -- 1961
11. Dining with Death
12. (Another) Day Out
13. The Antigua Hotel -- 1960
14. [Untitled]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Death by Chocolate   Primary Artist
Emma Burrows   Vocals
Polly Hulse   Handclapping,Guest Artist,Vocals,Flute
Jez Butler   Fender Rhodes,Synthesizer,Drums,Vocals
Jason Frederick   Jug,Drums,Organ,Vocals,Fender Rhodes,Guitar (Bass),Fender Telecaster
Angela Faye Tillett   Vocals,Handclapping
M.B. Gordy   Drums,Bongos,Guest Artist

Technical Credits

John Addison   Composer
Jez Butler   Group Member
Death by Chocolate   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Emmet Sargeant   Mastering
George Melly   Composer
Jason Frederick   Group Member
Steve Kaplan   Engineer
David Croft   Composer
Angela Faye Tillett   Group Member
Ronnie Hazlehurst   Composer