1990s

It seems nearly impossible to think the U.K. could cough up yet another skinny, shaggy pop group after all the Kooks, Cribs, Kaiser Chiefs, etc. But if the thought of one more British bunch doesn't dislodge your lunch, please hold on to your last ossicle for this toe-tapping trio. Of course, it took slightly older cats to pull this one off — two of the 1990s used to front the amazing Scottish agit-pop loonies, Yummy Fur, and the drummer was in V-Twin. So they've got some miles under their mop tops. But instead of rehashed Britpop and girlfriend boo-hoos over ubiquitously tweaked '80s tempos, these blokes bounce about with unabashedly chipper riffs next to funny, often incongruous thoughts of "fucking your wife," gulping more drugs, and championing their cult status. 1990s' visual meme is singer/guitarist Jackie McKeown's overbite that could challenge Freddy Mercury in some yearly NME poll. McKeown trades off lead vocal duties while "ahh-ahh" backups and skip-to-stomp beats pop out like Slade on gummy bears; that is, until some skuzzy solos and absolutely unbeatable choruses remind you this ain't just kids' stuff — it's as sure a power-pop record as can occur in such oversaturated times.