With songs about Egypt, Vincent Van Gogh and an accountant called Dennis already amongst their repertoire, Eel Pie Island's Mystery Jets are a refreshing break from the current musical norm. Indeed, they paint a rather mystical picture of the world with their songs, which have the rare ability to totally engulf the listener for three or four minutes at a time.
Alas Agnes is the quintet's fourth single to date, and serves as further proof that this collective are making some of the most interesting music around. This time the tale involves a young man's unrequited love for a transvestite called Agnes - well you weren't expecting one about shit jobs and the minimum wage were you?
As outrageous as this may sound, they somehow manage to pull it off. Perhaps it's the hymn like harmonies, the manic percussion, the whirlwind guitars and one of the most memorable choruses of the year that make it so special. Or perhaps it's the fact that it sounds like something you'd expect to be performed at a Weimar cabaret in 1931. Whatever the case, it's something you ought not to be without.
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