Video Nasties- Albatross EP

Video Nasties are a great band in search of congruence. Opener Albatross sounds like Iggy Pop singing for Part Chimp- it's less of a song and more of a musical stampede, a punk hurricane that kickstarts the listener's testosterone and subconsciously fires the fight-or-flight response, just in case a mosh-pit spontaneously happens along. After this track there is a strange detour into The Smiths/The Cure territory with Hearts and Bones and Break, and, weirdly, Jarvis Cocker territory on Man. Every song is great, but every song is different; you think you're getting manly raw steak, but instead end up with the Vegan nut-feast. Hopefully the Nasties live up to their namesake and choose to go the short-song/loud-as-hell route in future. [Ewen Millar]