The Hussy's - Japanese Graffiti

 

Never since Bush have a British band seemed so in thrall to the sounds of American rock. If you can forgive that vexatious inverted comma that pops up in their name, which I personally can’t, in Japanese Graffiti you might like the highly polished and fleetingly catchy collection of disposable pop tailor-made to soundtrack an MTV reality show. When singer Fili talks of going to “see the lions in San Diego zoo”, you can’t help thinking of Gavin Rossdale whining about flying to Los Angeles to see his asshole brother. The rest of the lyrics are inoffensively MOR enough to placate even the least demanding listener, and musically, it’s a bit like an updated No Doubt, with ska-lite guitars and some gratuitous synths here and there. To be fair to The Hussy’s, they never do claim to be anything other than what they are, so it’s churlish to attack them. It’s all just a bit flimsy to love.[Euan Ferguson]