Average attempt at mimicry

(Morning Star, Friday 18 August 2006)

ALBUM: The Young Knives - Voices of Animals and Men
(Transgressive)

YOU know them, you've seen them peering out of the pages of all the indie magazines.

These prankster nu-pop-punk-alt-indie darlings are a little of the try-hard variety, hailing from Ashby-de-la-Zouch and bedecked in tweed.

If pretension is the death of modesty, then the Young Knives think that they're the dog's, if you'll pardon the expression.

Maybe all that tweed's alright in the capital, but how quick would they get kicked in in the provinces? They'll find out on their mega tour in October, but, in the meantime, there's a record to be had.

The angularity characterising the coolest of guitar bands is all present and correct here, but Part Timer makes for a somewhat weak album opener.

In fact, the singles on here are the true stand-outs, from Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer) to Here Comes the Rumour Mill.

Weekends and Bleak Days offers vocals reminiscent of PIL-era John Lydon with a repetitive guitar part to give even the most eager of axemen RSI. With the maxim "hot summer, hot hot summer" it's a mite out of place this August, but very catchy nonetheless.

Similarly, Here Comes the Rumour Mill is bright, light and indie-disco-tastic, but, again, the plod through the fillers until She's Attracted To - a tale of parental disapproval and punch-ups - is a bit much.

The Young Knives definitely have something - a recent cover of Kids in America displayed the filmic claustrophobia of a David Lynch movie, if vocally a little strangled.

Their new wave, spikey style is executed with precision. But the sum total of this record is an average attempt at mimicry and not a lot more.