Sucioperro - Random Acts of Intimacy

For a debut LP, 'Random Acts of Intimacy' is none too shoddy. Interchanging edgy guitars with intricate arrangements throughout, it's impossible to dismiss it immediately. Sucioperro seem to be the bastard child of the Idlewild of now and yesteryear. This is perhaps their downfall. They are a hybrid of the jerkiness found on 'Hope is Important' and the tuneful melodies from 'Warnings/Promises', whilst failing to nail down a definitive sound of their own. At their offbeat best (as found on the title track), they are a joy to listen to. Parts of the album are brimming with attitude (opening track The Crushing of the Little People), but it's a shame there are too many songs here that you will struggle to recall, even after a few listens. 'Sucioperro', I understand, is Spanish for 'dirty bitch'. Now that's not something you'll forget in a hurry. [Finbarr Bermingham]