12 Stone Toddler - Come Back

The latest release from lounge-metal advocates 12 Stone Toddler builds on previous release Candles on the Cake and revisits the themes of getting older and the desire to maintain the innocence of youth. Like a laid back Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster, the band delightfully combine straightforward rock swagger with eerie and disquieting musical nuances. Whilst not as immediately likeable as 2006's The Rabbit, it perfectly fuses their myriad of influences, ranging from Nick Cave at his most brooding, to Frank Zappa at his wackiest. Allow Come Back to cast its spell on you and you'll be forever humming. [Neal Parsons]