The Automatic - 'Not Accepted Anywhere' (B-Unique) Released 19/06/06

According to many, we are living in a golden age of pop, with the term having gone back to its original definition, music that is popular. No longer are the charts dominated by bland boy and girl bands, who sing manufactured dirge produced in those unholy hit factories run by the likes of Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller. Now, the mainstream is embracing guitar music once again, with bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs and The Killers transcending their indie roots to become household names. This year's main beneficiaries have been the much hyped Arctic Monkeys, but 'Not Accepted Anywhere' shows they have serious competition. To put it more plainly, The Automatic could be the band of 2006.

More similar in style musically to The Killers, but also rivalling the Kaisers in their ridiculously catchy choruses, the south Wales four-piece were already familiar to many through their first couple of releases, 'Raoul' and 'Recover', which both charted Top 40. The rest of country became aware of them through third single 'Monster', which recently crashed into the Top 5, having been heavily championed by Radio One and established itself as a contender for single of the year.

The good news however, is that unlike so many records, 'Not Accepted Anywhere' is stronger than just its singles. Really, any of the 12 songs here could stand release. It starts very strongly, with the opening track 'That's What She Said' utilising the dualling vocal skills of lead singer Rob Hawkins and keyboardist Alex Pennie, whose whiny harmonies and electro bleeps add so much to the band's sound, though Pennie's constant gurning at the band's live shows could become somewhat irritating.

'Raoul' is the catchiest song ever written about a sandwich shop owner (one would guess), 'You Shout You Shout You Shout' bemoans other inferior music ("so much trash on the radio today!"), while 'Recover' is already a bonafide dance floor filler. They are however quite literally dwarfed by 'Monster', as
fearsome a statement of intent as one will find and a perfect example of that exciting time when a band steps up to the big league. It is nothing less than an instant classic.

The tunes don't end there though. 'Lost At Home' and 'By My Side' are more reflective, but no less enjoyable for it, while 'Seriously...I Hate You Guys' and 'Team Drama' squeak and whir their way to more infectious choruses, complete with robot noises. The tempos vary impressively, unlike other bands (mentioning no Boy Kill Boys) the songs never slip into formula, an impressive trick to pull off on your debut album.

Combining elements of punk, disco, classic rock and even emo in places, 'Not Accepted Anywhere' should establish the credentials of The Automatic as one of the best new bands around.

Altogether now, "what's that coming over the hill?!"...