On the Other Hand There's a Fist

On the Other Hand There's a Fist

British singer/songwriter Jona Lewie combined the boogie-woogie piano chops of a Fats Domino with the screwball outlook of a Peter Sellers. His debut album On the Other Hand There’s a Fist is an occasionally irritating but mostly delightful stew of New Orleans rhythms, techno-pop beats and absurdist humor. Tracks like “The Baby She’s On the Street,” “A Bit Higher” and the aptly-titled “Feelin’ Stupid” have a childlike joy about them, conveyed through careening tempos and giddy, nearly-incomprehensible vocals. Within his odd perimeters, Lewie covers a lot of ground — “Big Shot…Momentarily” sounds like a comedy skit, “Hallelujah Europa” unfolds like a national anthem and “God Bless Whoever Made You” sticks to the ear like twisted bubblegum. Some of these tunes — particularly the enigmatic “I’ll Get By in Pittsburgh” — have a naïve, unfinished quality. But Lewie is capable of more polished work, as his droll international hit “(You’ll Always Find Me in the) Kitchen at Parties” shows. Eclectic, eccentric and full of tomfoolery, On the Other Hand There’s a Fist packs real punch.

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