CSS: ‘Donkey’

The Brazilian brilliance of CSS returns to satiate the appetite of what we shall refer to as the Anglo-European indie scene with their second album, the agreeably named 'Donkey'. It's hard to tell if this clownish title is meant to be taken as a sly smirk or a sweet smile.

'Jager Yoga' opens the door to the record’s dancing heart - the track’s very DNA is party punch riffs and rhythmic joys, but under that groove is lyrical content which details a band determined to dance their troubles away: “Ask the stars what they say, desperate living, hairspray”, Lovefoxxx speak-sings at one point. Then there’s the vindictive “There's a piece of dirt in your smile”, before the chorus reaffirms their modus operandi: “We didn’t come to walk around, we came here to take you out, don’t mess my holiday”.

Before the first song can wipe the perspiration from its furrowed brow, we dive into the angry, sweat-soaked guitars of recent free download single 'Rat is Dead (Rage)', followed by the classy disco of 'Reggae All Night', which brims with stylish synthesizers and tasty electronic indulgences. The squiggly delightful 'Move' has a instrumental bedrock which is strikingly similar to the Taking Heads’ classic 'This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)'. They share that swaying effect of tandem keyboards and light guitar lines, though the Heads’ song probably has more of a melodic radiance about it.

The album survives a slight deficiency of ideas towards the middle with the help of the aforementioned 'Move' and a late surge of quality rescues the whole from mediocrity. The squeaky hooks and general scrumptiousness of 'Believe Achieve' and the spacious arrangement and corroding Joey Santiago style guitar lines of the closer 'Air Painter' send off things in fine form. So 'Donkey' ends up an album to be uncomplicatedly enjoyed, with its easy confidence and kooky lyrical bent speaking to a sublime aura that enshrouds this group.

Released on 21st July 2008 by Wea.

Written by Richard Wood.