Scissors For Lefty - Underhanded Romance

A debut packed with variety and quality is an all too rare occurrence these days, and Scissors For Lefty achieve this with a release that covers the full gamut from ballads to rock numbers, all the way to synth driven dancefloor fillers with this amazing first release. The faster, louder moments are the finest, as they are often offset by softer melodies that bob and weave around paced, rhythmic drums and guitar. More obscure sounds like handclaps, whistling and what may have been a ukulele then come out of the background like an echo, giving the tracks additional layers. However, the use of keyboard sometimes becomes tiresome. At times the band do sound a lot like Pulp, but otherwise it's refreshing to hear an American act that isn't reaching for a teenage audience with formulaic emo, instead opting to concentrate on melody and songwriting with stunning results. [Xavier Toby]