I Was a King – Norman Bleik

Let’s cut to the chase, I Was a King want to be Teenage Fanclub. In fact, so much do the Norwegian ensemble yearn to slip inside the Glaswegian luminaries’ skin they’ve entitled their new single Norman Bleik. It goes almost without saying then that these are three of the most fraudulent minutes of music you’re likely to hear all year. From the sunny twang of country guitar to the melancholic pop undertones, Norman Bleik is a shameless counterfeit that’s as lame as it is phony. With any luck, it won’t be just the Fannies who benefit from a restraining order. [Billy Hamilton]