Death By Chocolate. Bric-a-Brac. CD.

Bric-a-Brac is Death By Chocolate's third full-length release, following their eponymous debut, and Shortlist Prize nominee Zap the World (confirming Iggy Pop as a fan), in the early '90s. This album sees the band performing, engineering and producing; the result of a collaboration between band members based in Santa Barbara, Bristol and Colchester. Bric-a-Brac comprises thirteen tracks - eleven self-penned and two covers - as diverse as the title suggests.

Death By Chocolate's aesthetic foundation corners are firmly planted in an idealized novelty of mid-century modernism, especially early 60s abstract expressionism musically speaking, definitely swinging 1967 Carnaby Street, and a bit of the more fun elements of late 70s new/no wave. There's also more than a hint of foodie-ism.

Bric-a-brac is an aural scrapbook written, performed, recorded and produced by Death By Chocolate. Open it up...

There's a trip around East Sussex on a BSA Bantam... we even stop for chips on the way home! Missing your departed heroes? They're back for one night only (although probably not quite as you'd care to remember).

For some, the album may well prove a useful study aid: how many Kosmonauts can you name? What are the principle uses of Xenon? What was Vincent Price eating in the early '60s? How do you plan the layout of a department store?

Musically-speaking, Death by Chocolate's third album is just as diverse, fusing together radiophonics, spoken-word, jazz and psychedelia, with a dash of swingle.

Souevnir rulers, umbrellas, cricket pads... even Spit the Dog gets a look-in at the House of Bric-a-brac.