Posted on November 16, 2010 - by Mark Zonda

The Brigadier At Work

We already told you about The Brigadier, from UK. What to say about the man behind that project? Matthew Williams is simply the best kept living pop secret in the world, and the real mystery on his music is not due to his real persona hidden behind a room in Albion but how such a talented music genius is not meant to rule the chart.

Maybe we have to blame nowadays music system, MTV, the lack or change of taste of the young generation. Possibly the World that we are living is made for the eyes and not the ears, caring only about the latest noisy monotone trend rather than appreciating a cleaver touchy melody. Or maybe that’s Matthew’ “Secret of no success”.

I admired the talent of the young Matthew Williams since his early moves on the über- indie-scene, and I was really pleased that his previous album - “Time is a Wound” – was such a step forward in a more complex and appealing approach to his music. “Secret of no success” carries on on that direction with the ambition of shaping the whole music experience in the common theme of struggling for modern times daily jobs.

Moreover the album see the tracks of The Brigadier last work tweening one and another just like the passing time on the routine of an average working day, bringing us closer to the whole experience.

Album obviously starts with “Doing the 9 to 5″ along with a real suggestive and appealing dreamy-synth introduction. The wakey-wakey sound of the clock suddenly bring us back to reality with the happy sound of our modern time anti-hero, with a catchy old-fashion tune notable for its almost-ska clean guitar (I’m thinking of Casino Royale’s “Mr. Spock never met Mr. Space” or Couch Potatoes “Kiss Me Quick”) and changes of tempos reminding me of Gilbert O’Sullivan most clever tunes. The rest of the song would surely be an hit if only we had Robbie instead of Matthew signing the record. Choirs have become almost an hight quality standard for each new song of The Brigadier, so it’s useless to say they’re quite close to perfection in each of the tracks’ you’re gonna hear on this album. Guitar and arrangements are almost faultless as well, especially on this track.

“It’s not that it’s hart, it’s just so boring…”, “Back in the office again” is one of those delicate easy listening tracks confuting the fact that The Brigadier is ready to succeed Louis Philippe in mastering pop matters in such sophisticated elegant ways and turning its essence into music dreams. “Dreaming of the Weekend” is one of my favourite not only since Friday is the most awaited day of every one of us and the most loved songs of the last 5 decades are dealing with having parties and girls instead of werking… but it has been my wake-up call for almost a month! The song blends disco items (was The Brigadier U.N.DISCO appearance relevant on this?) to soft lovely lullabies patches.

The album closes with “A better day”, a happy end after hero’s resignation from his troubled routine at work. A positive ending everyone should sympathize with on the difficult moment we’re all living.

Your better day starts now.

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