Lovvers - Think

The opening assertion by Lovvers' PR that “great bands do not gain popularity” does sound a little like a pre-emptive strike on behalf of a hopeless cause. This English four-piece have already shaken their thang at sweaty DIY shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh to varying acclaim. On Think, their first solo foray beyond the 7” format, they eruct a fevered garage punk reminiscent of The Germs and Flipper. Yet both of those classic punk outfits were the spontaneous product of the original punk era, not a predictable kitsch rehash of old standards. Whilst this recording is suitably dirty and retro, running in the red throughout, the overt stylisation is clearly compensating for weaknesses in the songs. Strangely, album keystone Teenage Shutdown is actually quite brilliant, eschewing the overly simplistic punk-by-numbers in favour of a sexier groove, but ultimately it only serves to make the rest sound all the more disappointing. [Austin Tasseltine]