Record Reviews:

The Long Blondes - Giddy Stratospheres (Angular Recording Corporation)

Starting with the sound of snappy handclaps - or is it heels strutting down the street? - The Long Blondes continue their ongoing assault on our sensibilities with ‘Giddy Stratospheres’, a feisty, knicker-flashing top pop tune. There are breathily sassy vocals, chippy guitars and a swooping, gulping chorus. It sashays in, bitching; but still you smile, charmed.

‘Polly’ on the other hand is pure ‘50s diner heartbreak, complete with eye-fluttering, heart-clutching ‘ooh wahh ooh’ backing, and a main vocal crooned against simple ringing chords beamed in from a long distant era. You can almost taste the brylcream and feel the breeze from the twirling circle skirts.

Finally, ‘Darts’ is like one of those, ‘Ha, we just knocked this out for a laugh’ one minute wonders Elastica used to chuck in for good measure. Cranky guitars wrestle amongst the fag ends on the beer-stained carpet as The Long Blondes roll their eyes and yell, ‘Let’s play darts!’ Cool.

RRRG: Pants down lead pipe cinch