A Beautiful Thing is exactly the right title for an IDLES album, despite the fact that this live document is at times ugly and musically misshapen. There are deliberately discordant passages and simplistic hooligan-chant refrains. Joe Talbot’s voice cracks and strains, and there are points where it sounds like his bandmates are playing their instruments in mittens. Ah, but perfection is most definitely not the point here. If you’ve ever been to an IDLES show, you’ll know that the energy and intent are far more important than perfect pitch. On a live album, you’ll never get the sweaty, underpants-clad, what-the-hell-are-they-doing-now experience of seeing the band in the flesh, but this is definitely the next best thing. It’s not just that it’s a warts-and-all snapshot; the warts are a...
