THE FREE-FALL BAND - THE MUNSTER SIGHTS

Free Fall Band:
The Munster Sights:
Elsegell:
Out Now:
CD/LP:

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

From Barcelona and produced by mildly eccentric pop svengali Darren Hayman, The Free Fall Band wear their English-speaking hearts on their sleeves, delivering high-end indie-pop that might delight Hayman fans and lovers of indie-pop intelligentsia like The Wave Pictures et al.

To be honest, there aren't many clues pointing towards the band's homeland of Spain. A ukulele here, a big old singalong there and big rousing choruses, one of which includes the line "a big fuckin' spider" in a bawled accent that suggests the merriment of Dublin's Temple Bar had more to do with Lonesome Cowboy, Solitary Peggy Sue than the dancing clubs of Barcelona.

The Munster Sights is a game follow-up to debut-album Elefants Never Forget and has a few reasons for replay - the slinky Oh What An Awkward Day recalls Ben Folds and the lighter moments pootle along nicely - but nothing really 'happens'. The Munster Sights is OK though, worth an earful or two.