Eskimo Beach Boy

Purveyors of guitar pop, the Dublin up-and-comers gear up with a finely crafted album that wears its influences on its sleeve, but manages to sound vibrant and relevant. No real surprise when you consider what those influences are; shades of the Stranglers here, a whisper of Wedding Present and a touch of Teenage Fanclub there, but the overall sound is a lot more than the sum of its parts.

What 'Racer have over many of their contemporaries is an ability to arrange their creations in such a way as the songs delight and surprise, whether on bangin' rock numbers like the title track or more contemplative numbers like the bizarrely titled 'Sidewalk Monkey Typhoid'. They've also mastered the art of pacing the tracks offered so that the listener is not merely presented with a facsimile of what the band do live, but is taken on a journey of ups and downs, and indeed highs and lows.

While the playing throughout is both subtle and superb, and the production also first class, the vocalist deserves special mention – possessed as he is with an ability to not merely hit notes, but to convey a real sense of emotion and feeling. Quite simply, if you like guitar pop-rock, you'll love this album. I'm guilty on both counts, and Ten Speed Racer have taken me in.