Massive feel good album from Scotland's answer to Scissor Sisters...
In 2004 Franz Ferdinand injected a new lease of life into the British music scene with their quirky brand of Indie Rock, paving the way for a new breed of Scottish artists. In 2005, it's Glaswegian quintet El Presidente's turn to fly the flag for Scotland as they stand on the brink of superstardom with their self-titled debut album.
Combining the flamboyance of Prince, the glittering glam rock of T.Rex, the harmonised vocals of The Beach Boys and the pop-rock of Scissor Sisters, 'El Presidente' is a roller coaster ride of sparkling feel good anthems. After the catchy melody and electrifying chorus of the glitzy 'Without You', the fabulous 'Rocket' propels you further into the surreal world El Presidente inhabit, with its funky electro swagger. After sliding through the Marc Bolan-meets-Brian Wilson amalgam of '100 mph', 'Turn This Thing Around' oozes with catchy pop and funky disco beats, combining up tempo drum beats, electro-keyboard sounds and brash electric guitar behind the band's electrifying vocals.
Listening to 'Count On Me' and 'If You Say You Love Me', you can't help but feel that if Prince had ever been on The Muppet Show these songs would have been the result; they don't fail to impress with their huge, swaying group vocals, amusing theatricality and fabulous party atmosphere. But the prize for the album's biggest dance floor filler has to go to the incredible 'Hanging Around'; opening with a great guitar intro, the track begins with a glam twist but soon settles down into booty-shaking electric beats and an insanely catchy rap-rock chorus.
Towards the end of the album, El Presidente begin to take a slight departure from the positive-sounding, sugar-coated splendour of tracks like 'Rocket', 'Count On Me' and '100 mph'. 'Keep On Walking' incorporates a classic rock edge with its deep, dirty electric guitar and slightly darker electro-keyboard sound, while 'Honey' has a similarly dark electronics and crushing, atmospheric keyboards. 'Come On Now' closes the album beautifully with an almost mystical vibe and slithering, snake-hipped rhythm accompanied by quivering electronic noises while returning to the intense catchiness of earlier tracks.
Each of the well-produced, well-constructed tracks on 'El Presidente' is positively bursting with energy, excitement and intricate mixture of exciting sounds. Most importantly, every song on this album has an infectious melody to create a glittery feel good explosion that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face. If you had to put your money on the next big band for 2005, then El Presidente would be a good bet.