Weevil
Halfsmile

That Weevil are capable of writing touching, spectral songs of loss and love is undisputed - their album, 'Drunk On Light', is a lesson in how to write emotive, yet minimalist, music without going down the Turin Brakes road - but_ 'Halfsmile'_ is not the sound of the band at their best.

The song always sounded out of place on 'Drunk On Light'; whilst every great album of introspection requires some flashes of light to balance the all-consuming darkness, 'Halfsmile' was just, well, too bright. It bounces along gleefully like New Order around 'Republic', and whilst the sentiments behind it may be genuine enough, the delivery lacks sincerity. Better is the b-side, 'Lapsed', which serves as a more accurate representation of Weevil's work to date. Where 'Halfsmile' has a spring in its step, 'Lapsed' positively crawls; no doubt if you cracked the CD it'd bleed too, for it's here that the duo sound alive. Call me a glum bastard, but that's what I want from these guys, not happy-happy-joy-joy fun.