Following a string of effortlessly infectious singles, Liverpool three piece The Wombats release their debut album A GUIDE TO LOVE, LOSS & DESPERATION, a record that seems hellbent on bringing back a little fun and energy to the indie rock scene.

Opener TALES OF GIRLS, BOYS AND MARSUPIALS may be a little throwaway and disappointing, but it only takes a song like KILL THE DIRECTOR to really kick things off proper; an impossibly catchy pop tune buried beneath clanging guitars and frenetic drum patterns, frontman Matthew Murphy barking out hook laden melody after hook laden melody, the final kiss off "this is no Bridget Jones", a tiny moment of genius. MOVING TO NEW YORK is another winner, a song wallowing in ragged guitar chords, scattershot drum beats and Matthew Murphy's joyful melodies. The Wombats make a glorious indie rock racket here; the kind of brilliant pop song that imagines Supergrass partying it up with the Arctic Monkeys.

PARTY IN A FOREST (WHERE'S LAURA) finds the band delivering more noisy guitar pop moves, this time round in a more louche mood though, whilst on the infectious three minute pop song LOST IN THE POST, they once again deliver that knockout suckerpunch of upbeat melodicism and sugar rush attitude almost impossible to ignore. A blast of ragged guitar chords, scattershot drum beats and sun drenched synth swells; joyful melodies surfing the whole thing wonderfully. Sounding like a brilliant birthday party attended by Supergrass, The Flaming Lips, Blur and Bloc Party, The Wombats make music that can't fail to raise a smile at the very least. Equally indie poptastic, PATRICIA THE STRIPPER is all three way vocal harmonies and ragged guitar glory, a place where The Libertines meet The Monkees for a quick songwriting session.

Infectious three minute pop goodness, The Wombats makes no attempts to revolutionise the genre with A GUIDE TO LOVE, LOSS & DESPERATION; instead settling to give it a sharp kick up the ass and a day glo makeover. Excellent stuff from a band well worth obsessing over.

Based in Liverpool, The Wombats are native Scousers Matthew Murphy (vocals, guitar, keyboard) and Dan Haggis (drums), along with assimilated Viking Tord Overland-Knudsen (bass, vocals).

Since coalescing out of the city's vibrant music scene two years ago, the band has already gained substantial support from Radio 1 with several self-released EPs and will release their first full single LOST IN THE POST through Kids on 10th July 2006. The single will be limited to 500 vinyls, with the first 100 coming in lavish, handmade packaging. Kids, who have released sell-out singles by iLIKETRAiNS and The Whip, will again offer free MP3s of the tracks to anyone who buys the release on vinyl - a move applauded by The Times and the Evening Standard amongst others.

LOST IN THE POST may be the most infectious indie-pop single you'll hear all year. Recalling early Supergrass and Blur at their most exuberant and carefree, the bouncing bassline and three-way harmonies conceal doleful, self-deprecating lyrics, as Murphy blames himself for the state of a deteriorating relationship. Meanwhile b-side PATRICIA THE STRIPPER gives a nod to fellow Liverpudlians The La's and The Zutons in a hi-octane pop romp chronicling a doomed love affair with a pole dancer.

As quintessentially English as a band with songs about caravans in Wales and lusting after Sky TV may seem, The Wombats have clearly struck an international nerve. A tour of Canada was followed in May by a performance to a rapturous crowd of more than 10,000 in Bejing; the Guardian described the band as "for one glorious half-hour set at least, bigger than the Rolling Stones".

The Wombats>www.thewombats.co.uk

Bookmark And social Networks

Bookmark, Share Or Promote This Link: 
http://www.ukmusicsearch.co.uk/reviews/the-wombats-a-guide-to-love.html...