Cats and Cats and Cats – If I'd Had An Atlas

Just when you thought the ‘tweexcore’ fad had finally wilted, along come Cats and Cats and Cats to stoke the embers. Sounding like a dishevelled bastardisation of Johnny Foreigner and Los Campesinos!, the London quintet’s new LP bulges with archetypal shout-a-longs and much feyly designed jangling. Admittedly, the introduction of violin brings cheer to the otherwise shapeless likes of The Bee’s Knives and its frankly God-awful title track, while transforming A Boy Called Haunts into an emotive sweep.

But for all their musical labouring, it’s the whining strains of frontman Ben George that makes this LP such a laborious ride. His subpar Damon Albarn-aping turns If I Were A Wolf and The Smallest Song into unlistenable, ear-grating chores. When (now former) violinist Eve Morrison takes a little of the vocal duty during Big Blue there’s at least a stirring of ingenuity – but, much like the lion’s share of what’s on show, it’s too little, too late. [Billy Hamilton]