Rev78 -‘Boy In the Blitz.’ (self-released)

This album certainly grabs your attention with the opening and former single ‘Killing Me’. The sound is the Smiths meeting Idlewild with its’ chiming (and indeed charming guitars) before going straight into ‘Old Fashioned.’

This album seems to have arrived out of nowhere, almost disconcertingly assure of itself, without being cocky and mercifully, without sounding like a bunch of oasis wannabes. It’s certainly music that aims high high, wears its’ ambition confidently on its’ s;eeves, and it’s not hard to imagine this band filling arenas.

Much of this will of course depend on there being a resurgence in guitar bands in the mainstream, which is much talked about and needs bands to help achieve this (it might be the Vaccines, I sure as heck hope it’s not going to be Brother or Frankie and the Heartstrings). It will doubtless appeal to those who enjoy the post-punk back catalogue and those bands who have taken inspiration from that era (Editors, Bloc Party, Futureheads etc..)

As a debut, this has some great songs and it’s certainly not hard to think of it as being a potentialoly successful album.What will be important is the band finding a voice of their own, and developing characteristics that will make them stand out from the crowd.

***1/2

Boy In the Blitz is released on April 4.