Film School - 'Film School' (Beggars Banquet) Released 23/01/06

There is a Spanking the Monkey desolation to Film School’s eponymous release – the movie that is, not the act. Using and building upon the formulas championed by The Cure, Explosions in the Sky, Sonic Youth and Mogwai, Film School have furnished us with a little gem of a record that will sit nicely in your guitar wig-out section. If you feel like going out for a long walk or staring aimlessly out to sea then Film School have got your back. Great ideas mixed with a rough-cut quality would’ve had the late great John Peel buying the T-shirt, wearing the badge and recording Film School so that future generations could listen and learn.

The long player opens proper with 2005 single ‘On and On’, reminiscent of Nada Surf in their darker kill-the-jock moments and from then on you’re rarely disappointed as the San Franciscan quintet chant and jockey their way through outstanding up-tempo tracks ‘Harmed’ ‘Pitfalls’ ‘He’s a DeepDeep Cake’ and ’11:11’. And don’t worry, like any decent pick and mix, Film School have catered for all with Jesus & Mary Chain ramblings ‘Garrison’ and ‘Like You Know’.

The drums sound good, the bass is nice and the vocals, keyboards and guitars intertwine ambiently with the end result a kind of new wave Pavement. There’s no doubt that Film School should be on the next cool indie film soundtrack and with that in mind smash open that savings jar. If you haven’t got enough then smash open your little sisters, get down the shops and buy Film School because they’re good and they can only get better.