Handsome

As a key document of the 1970s London pub rock scene, 'Handsome' showcases Kilburn and the High Roads' eclectic blend of rock and roll, music hall, and proto-punk energy. The album is defined by Ian Dury's clever, observational lyrics and distinctive cockney-accented vocals, which narrate character-driven vignettes with a savage wit. While the production is understated and the band's performance has a loose, anarchic quality, the record is significant for laying the musical and lyrical groundwork for Dury's later, more polished success with the Blockheads and for influencing the subsequent punk movement.