Does it Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into…

Does It Offend You, Yeah? don't do what they claim on their tin, but despite the naff moniker, their debut LP does make for an enjoyable 40 minutes - if that's any consolation. Opener Battle Royale is just that; a dirty guff of a bassline fights for attention with staccato synth stabs and driving drums. The album doesn't really relive the grubby instrumental high of the opener, but there are still some quality tracks. Veering from head-on electro (We Are Rockstars) that wouldn't seem out of place on labels like Klang-Elektronik to indie pop (Dawn of the Dead and hands-in-the-air closer Epic Last Song) they mix and match their genres with dexterity. On the downside, Let's Make Out is just irritating: bratty vocals backed by tired, facsimile NME-fodder indie-dance. It's like the man said in The Hudsucker Proxy, "It's for the kids." If this is what they're buying, I reckon there's still hope. [Matt Gollock]