Late Of The Pier
Bathroom Gurgle

Sure, the kids are alright, but they should really cut the fizzy drinks outta their diets. If they don’t, one day all pop bands will sound like Late Of The Pier.

Back track, one second: that’s not intended derogatively. It’s merely a comment that unless this sprightly four-piece drop a few anchors soon their frantically-paced synth pop will be properly out of fashion before they’ve so much as got some rough demos together for a make ‘em or break ‘em debut album (something that must be a serious priority, what with the similarly musically minded Klaxons’ recent Mercury success). Whizz, right through to climax without so much as a twist of position. It does seem so very now; one can only hope the band have legs enough to last.

With good reason, too: overlooking the ridiculous press release statement from producer Erol Alkan that “They’re not only the most exciting band out there at the moment, but they are THE most exciting band around” (I’ve read that back maybe a dozen times now, and still I can make no sense of it, unless they’ve missed out a “new”?), ‘Bathroom Gurgle’ is an excitingly ambitious single from youthful souls as in love with letting go as they are grasping the bull by its horns. Should the bull bolt they'll go their own way, too, if the reckless streak evident here is anything to go by.

Opportunity knocks irregularly, but with titillating numbers like this to call their own, it seems likely that Late Of The Pier will succeed in a market overrun by whippersnappers claiming bragging rights on everything original, ill-advisedly of course. Boisterous and brash of spirit, vivid of dreams and devoid of inhibitions (really, why else would those ‘80s keys be so cheesy?), Late Of The Pier’s form to date bodes well indeed; certainly they are head and shoulders above the likes of bands with question mark-closed and Street Fighter II-sourced monikers so far as blessed creativity goes, and their last single was a sell-out success.

But, having a maverick spark does not make a band true ground-breakers, and there are precious few thrills in ‘Bathroom Gurgle’ that you couldn’t get by piecing together a mix-tape featuring Liars, Les Savy Fav, The Faint, Lightning Bolt and Klaxons. That, however, is way too much of an effort, so this’ll do nicely instead.

Now, kids: go clean your teeth before they’re rotten through with all this sugar-rush dance-pop business.