You’d think that by now bands would be wary of promoting themselves through the celebrity endorsements of Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller but that’s obviously not the case with The Stands. In fact, Gallagher even makes a cameo appearance on this debut – surely some sort of kiss of death in these hipper times. Again no, the band are being lauded by all and sundry across the water. It’s hard to see why, All Years Leaving is about as insipid and uninspired as it gets, a mess of jangling second hand riffs and ordinary songwriting.
The influences are obvious and there is no real attempt to stamp any of the Stands’ own personality onto proceedings. Indeed, you can’t escape the feeling that, if they hadn’t been from post-Coral Liverpool, no-one would have given much of a damn. If this is the bright new face of UK talent, I’m a monkey’s uncle.