Straw must be very confused young men. What with Blur everywhere you look, Supergrass plotting a comeback and Shed Seven compiling a greatest hits, they've accidentally presumed Britpop is back in fashion.
Far-fetched perhaps, but surely the only possible explanation for a debut like 'Shoplifting' and its pitiful aping of any band that even knows the colour of the Union Jack. Three tracks in and cheery lingering traces of Supergrass, Menswear, The Supernaturals and Octopus dominate. Not to mention the once obligatory brass and string sections, and half-arsed vocals from Mattie Bennett. By track four (new single 'Movin' To California'), you'll be tearing your hair out and wondering what happened to The Wonder Stuff. Sometime during 'Kill Your Boyfriend', you'll be marvelling at how Straw got this far without a Roger Cook investigation. By 'United States Of Amnesia' (Hey, do you see? America's been substituted for amnesia!), expect an overriding urge to see how many pieces a CD can be broken into.
Would this be a good time to mention they've been on TFI Friday?

Siobhan Grogan

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