CONFIDENCE MAN
Confident Music for Confident People
Heavenly Recordings
I must confess, it was one of those rare moments when you hear a new band and you think: what the fuck was that?! In a good way. That happened the first time I heard Boyfriend (Repeat) by Confidence Man. And then I saw the video. And then I saw the live show. And then I was hooked.
On first listen you may mistake Confidence Man for sugary sweet pop music, but delve a little deeper and you realise there is more going on than just danceable beats and some great lyrical hooks.
Confidence Man is a four-piece of pseudonyms and disguises. Fronted by the enigmatic dancing duo Janet Planet and Sugar Bones, both on vocals, and backed by Reggie Goodchild (keys) and Clarence McGuffie (drums) – both masked in identical hoods to preserve their identities.
The Queensland housemates have built themselves a little enterprise on gimmicks and glam that is quickly taking off. They’ve been cranking out the singles over the last 18 months in preparation of their first album release, Confident Music for Confident People, on top of a pretty hectic touring schedule.
While they were selling out shows in the UK, Confidence Man attracted a bit of criticism on the socials back on home turf for their apparent lack of “serious music”. However, they are not the first Australian act to forgo taking things too seriously. Nineties legends TISM and Regurgitator, and more recently Client Liaison, all took the piss and people loved them for it. This follows on with that tradition.
Latest single Don’t You Know I’m in a Band and C.O.O.L Party take a fairly obvious stab at youth culture. Saturated with self admiration, image and status, both tracks have plenty of sass and attitude that will provoke the inner ego.
The other obvious theme throughout both the album and the live show is overt sexualisation, as introduced in opener Try Your Luck (“You’re looking in the mirror and you see my reflection/ You know it’s good/ And you’re getting on your knees like a good boy should”) and single Better Sit Down Boy, while All the Way and Fascination reflect on the follies of modern relationships and convenience.
What really makes this album shine are the big dance tracks. There are some classic house and disco elements with a distinct nostalgic vibe that make for easily digestible floor fillers. This is most evident on the Eat Sleep Rave Repeat (Fat Boy Slim) inspired C.O.O.L Party. The 90s Euro / Italio house gets a revival in the instrumental Sailboat Vacation, while Out The Window and Fascination come out sounding a lot like Primal Scream, right down to the sing-a-long chorus and lead piano. Turning it up, the more contemporary Catch My Breath is an instant banger destined for a club mix.
The full length album probably could have done without including Bubblegum. It was a cute single, but in this catalogue it feels clumsy and doesn’t keep up. However, breakthrough single Boyfriend (Repeat) remains catchy and clever, fitting in perfectly and hasn’t grown old yet.
All up, it’s a damn sexy little album. Only time will tell if Confidence Man can keep growing into something that sticks around. The live show is definitely not one to be missed and with a bunch of festival dates (Groovin’ The Moo), an Australian tour, and international festival shows (All Points East, Primavera), there are plenty of opportunities to get confident, and get down.
Q
