Perfectly formed, pure indie pop gold.
It seems like everyone and their Nan, Brother and Great Auntie is raving about Liverpool's The Wombats of late. Championed by the likes of the NME, MTV2, XFM and Radio One, despite still not having a proper full release (well, not until now) under their belts is an impressive feat, as is selling out 1200 capacity Liverpool Carling Academy gig as headliners whilst still being unsigned. The media beehive is buzzing about The Wombats, but as that suspicious Chuck D and co once said 'Don't believe the hype'.
Well, in this instance, the hype is well and truly justified. 'Kill the Director' is a pumping powerhouse of a single. Indie discos all over the land should be compelled to play this song ad nauseam and attendees to dance until their feet bleed. High energy, hooky and with a terrific singalong chorus of 'If this is a Rom-com, kill the director' this is a phenomenal first single for any band.
Sharing the quirky, cheeky charm of fellow Liverpudlians, Hot Club de Paris, The Wombats are more than just a flash in the pan, hottest band around today and forgotten about tomorrow, there is real substance and for want of a better word, talent here. With a perfect turn of the phrase 'I don't care about the soaps/though I'm acting like I'm in an Eastender's episode' and an ear for clever rhyme 'With the angst of a teenage band/Here's another song about a gender I'll never understand', The Wombats deserve all the hype and enthusiasm those trendy media types can muster.
B-Side 'Metro Song' is another superb track, so good in fact, that this should have been a double A side single. Soaring, sugar sweet harmonies and a confident delivery; it is a vital track for the soundtrack of 2007.
If this is an indicator of what there is to come from this trio, then we are all in for a treat: perfectly formed, pure indie pop gold.