Declan Welsh and the Decadent West – Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold

Declan Welsh has always been a musician with something to say and his debut album, alongside his band The Decadent West, proves to be the ideal platform to get his views across.

Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold is full of biting scuzzy guitar riffs over basslines that more than hint at funk. Lead single and album opener No Fun grabs you and pulls you through the chaos of a 3AM party before it abruptly ends, leaving you wondering what happened, much like the night out it portrays. The album then barely stops for breath until its midpoint where Be Mine briefly hints at a softer side before the indie-punk attitude returns.

It’s the lyrics and narratives that drive Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold forward, which is expected from a songwriter also known for his poetry. Often tongue-in-cheek, sometimes politically motivated without resorting to angry young man territory, and always well-crafted, Welsh manages to dig deep into the seeming mundanity of city life in a way reminiscent of Mike Skinner or Alex Turner in Arctic Monkeys’ early days.

Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold is a strong debut which more than hints at the emergence of a promising talent who's set to grow.

Listen to: No Fun, How Does Your Love