GMTV-trashin’ yelp-rockers The Automatic have been knocking around all summer, so it only seems fair to put their debut album ‘Not Accepted Anywhere’ through its paces... Despite a large batch of glowing reviews, the band have also received a lot of kickings from glowering reviewers not convinced by their chunky, hyped-up teen rock.

After immersing myself in their album I’ve been left with the impression that The Automatic are basically a harder-edged, Kerrang-friendly version of Kaiser Chiefs (– but that’s not meant to be the criticism it may sound like.) Like the Chiefs, The Automatic have seduced an eager festival-season public - desperate for a new dose of hyperactive shout-along pop. Indeed,

the top-drawer singles ‘Monster’, ‘Raoul’ and ‘Recover’ are easily the best tracks on offer. Like the Chiefs, the album seems noticeably weak in comparison and a handful of songs are truly unremarkable and lend the album an unwanted one-paced vibe (- by the end of the album you may be left with that nagging broken-record feeling.) Nevertheless, there are still many positives – not least the aforementioned singles and tracks like ‘You Shout’ and ‘On The Campaign Trail’. Plus, a band this young are almost certain to broaden their palette by album #2. Also, the limp sub-Screamo backing-vocals that you probably have heard so much about aren’t quite as teeth-grindingly annoying as you may have heard elsewhere.

I think that the only thing that sets The Automatic apart from a similarly post-punk inclined guitar group like The Futureheads is Radio 1 saturation. You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. All told, this is superior indie-disco fodder. A solid 7/10.

www.theautomatic.co.uk

Review by Tom Leins