Quaint: Digital Flaneur (EP)

A review of a clever, quirky new EP by a clever, quirky Kiwi talent

Quaint

Digital Flaneur (ep)

God Save My Pearly White

Digital Flaneur is the first of a promised handful of EPs by Auckland based band/artist Quaint. Here’s hoping the rest of an album arrives via a series of sequel EPs, for the content of Digital Flaneur is catchy, clever, and sharp. It’s funny - without ever falling over into ‘comedy’ music - and has lots of nods to classic post-punk art-pop structures.

Opener, Post-Truth Love Song, gives reminders of Liars-era Todd Rundgren, via XTC.

While Mandy vs Marx maintains an Andy Partridge-styled lyric but places it over a Beatle-esque backing (it’s almost When I’m 64 - and in the best way possible). “Check your privilege at your door/Leave your underpants on the floor” is the chorus-line zinger in one of the cleverest pop ballads you’ll hear.

Lord of the Ducks is a rewrite of twee British pastoral folk - and is charming and intriguing in equal measures.

Only the closer, Gay Angst: A Rap falls over into Flight of the Conchords territory. But it’s saved somewhat by its intro - being a song for Palmerston North in 1994. It isn’t that it’s bad - it just doesn’t quite fit the sophistication of the other three songs. But in just 12 minutes, across four tracks, you’ll feel the cleverness and catchiness of Quaint. So here’s hoping there’s much more to come…