Ben Davis And The Jetts / Des Ark "Battle of the Beards" (Lovitt)
By Tim Den
Monday. Jun 04, 3:39 PM
Orchestral pop tag team that gets sinister.

Post-hardcore guy-turned-popsmith Ben Davis is back, this time with a full backing band (The Jetts, duh) as well as frequent collaborator Des Ark (aka Aimee Argote) in tow. But as opposed to him calling all the shots – as on Aided & Abetted – Battle of the Beards has Davis and Argote each getting a side of the record, with the two final cuts being equal collaborations. Davis’ entries are much less standard pop than his past solo work, bringing in some stiff-lipped guitar picking a la Gang Of Four to provide an extra umph and perhaps remind his fans of his time spent with Sleepytime Trio and Bats & Mice. Des Ark sticks to her raw acoustic laments that’s as punk in spirit as the music is not, singing each word and melody as if her voice is shaking under the weight of her emotions. And together, the two parties produce two orchestral, nightmarish picnics of creepy splendor not unlike a Tim Burton film: you dig the tunes, but you are unsettled nevertheless. The result? An enjoyable surprise for anyone who’s familiar with the artists.
www.desark.org
www.lovitt.com

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Tim Den

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