We Are So Many Tiny Pieces

Wild Beasts “The Devil’s Crayon” – Given that the main attraction of the Wild Beasts has been the distinct singing voice of their frontman Hayden Thorpe, their latest single “The Devil’s Crayon” is something of a curveball: It’s a duet between Thorpe and his bandmate Tom Fleming. Thankfully, Fleming’s voice only serves to enhance the band’s ragged yet enchanted aesthetic. In contrast to Thorpe’s femine affect — the last time I wrote about him, I described him as singing like a hobo who is convinced that he is Maria Callas, and I stand by that — Fleming presents a heroic, elegant masculinity. The song is yearning and romantic, and plays out on a grand scale that suggests that despite their inherent weirdness, the Wild Beasts may eventually be well-suited to large venues. (Click here to buy it via the Wild Beasts’ official album site.)