Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster

Wichita

There’s a reason these seven kids from Cardiff are so fond of exclamation marks. This album smacks the listener full in the chops right from the opening track and new single ‘Death To Los Campesinos!’ explodes from the blocks in a shower of jittery guitar, frantic strings and chiming glockenspiel. The band seems to be in a race to get to every section of every song, the various instruments hurtling along chaotically, just about keeping in time with one another. The bewitching, urgent boy-girl gang vocals tumble over the top of each other, seemingly competing for your attention like those of jealous toddlers, the lyrics clever and bratty in the same breath. The band has energy to burn, although witness the gentle interludes in ‘Don’t Tell Me To Do The Math(s)’ or ‘Knee Deep At ATP’ for proof that they know how to work with their feet off the gas. Centrepiece of the record, though, is multifaceted debut single ‘You! Me! Dancing!’ which starts with a Mogwai-esque swell of gentle strums to white noise, then erupts into a joyous pop stomp replete with gorgeous pre-chorus breakdowns, ecstatic gang chants, spoken word and furious instrumental build-ups. First outings don’t come much better than this. Lee Gorman

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DOWNLOAD: ‘YOU! ME! DANCING!’, ‘DEATH TO LOS CAMPESINOS!’.
FOR FANS OF: HELP SHE CAN’T SWIM, PAVEMENT, CSS.

Issue #51 - I Told You This Would Be A Good Issue

Featuring Biffy Clyro, Of Montreal, Duke Special, Frightened Rabbit, Cold War Kids, Jay Reatard, Pat Mills, and more.