The British indie rock outfit Art Brut has established itself as the class clown of the indie scene, creating lightweight punk songs with a sarcastic edge. No one is taking it as a joke, especially the Pixies frontman Black Francis, who produced Art Brut's third album. Named after French painter Jean Debuffet's definition of outsider art, South London's Art Brut make brilliantly simple, cleverly stupid art-punk. They are listed in the "Art Wave" scene that also includes bands such as Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.

Growing up on Princeton Street in Santa Monica, twin brothers Jesse & Matt Kivel and childhood friend Ben Usen started playing together as a group in the late 90’s, but officially formed Princeton during a year long stay in London in 2005. With the addition of drummer David Kitz, the band first gained attention in 2008 with the conceptual four-song Bloomsbury EP, a breezy dance-pop confection about the imaginative group of British intellectuals. The band's musical influences take in everything from Something Else-era Kinks to Serge Gainsbourg, New Order, Arthur Russell, Scott Walker, Yo La Tengo and Gilberto Gil.