TV21 - Forever 22

Never mind Axl Rose and his overblown, over-produced codswallop of a comeback last year. With Forever 22, new wave also-rans TV21 deliver their second album after a staggering 28-year hiatus. And with no pressure or expectations, the Edinburgh quartet have delivered a fine longplayer of unrelenting upbeat pop still in thrall to their brand of '80s ‘indie’ that existed before the term became embarrassing and meaningless. This amounts to some Smithsian frippery early on, delivered with plenty of homespun Scottish charm. Then, pulling us out of our cosy little time capsule, there’s a spot of (eek) electro-lite Celtic folk on In Another World that amazingly manages to sound pretty good. There are a few missteps along the way, particularly the daytime quiz show-esque Through Different Eyes, but after almost three decades in storage for TV21, we can put this down to a bit of initial stiffness. A quick stretch, and who knows what’s next?