The Tacticians - Some Kind Of Urban Fulfilment

Although brothers Ollie and Joe Jr have penned a tune called London's Alright, they'll be hoping to break out of the capital and into wider public consciousness with this, their debut long-player. And while The Skinny's preconceptions expected a shouty thing consisting almost wholly of "Awrite Geezers" and cockney rhyming slang, it was pleasantly surprised to hear a rather classier beast emerge from the speakers. Sure, The Tacticians have a light-hearted side; the tongue-in-cheek ode to a friend called Kate on Hardcore Porn being a case in point. Mostly however, Some Kind of Urban Fulfillment is a contradictory, seductive mix of Kinks-y 60s Pop and countrified soul backing gloomy lyrical observations on life, love and living in London. The fact that the record ends on the curiously upbeat sounding Town Full of Losers sums up the band's outlook perfectly: just because your hometown and life in general is a bit shit doesn't mean you can't boogie along to the beat of your own frustrations. [Barry Jackson]