The Hitchcock Rules - For My Monster (First Aid Records)

Album opener 'I'm A Celebrity' is an energetic, entertaining track. Slickly produced and heavy enough to get the pulse racing, it sounds a British We Are Scientists track. Next up, there are a couple of weak songs which don't really go anywhere and sound rather lazy. 'Clean Break' and 'Cancun' irritate a little, what with the squeaky clean vocals and the lackadaisical lyrics.

'Faking It' is an album highlight, with a LostProphets sound that emphasises the fact that this band are at their best when they play heavy, rather than go for the overly-emotional path. 'Beautiful' unfortunately reverts back to the lazy earlier tracks; entirely uninteresting, entirely forgettable.

'Miss Julie' gets the album going again with a groovy beat and a melodic chorus which screams Radio 1 Track of the Week! If the band is able to get songs like 'Miss Julie' into the public consciousness, then they stand a chance of getting a foothold in the popular music markets.

'That Look About You' sees the band create a more sophisticated sound. The result is eye-opening because after hearing the first half of the album, you could be forgiven for branding The Hitchcock Rules as a one-trick pony. 'That Look About You' has a timeless quality and is the only track when the band really give their instruments a good work-out.

'Statue Outside London Zoo' is a cheesy ballad, but just about manages to retain its charm by being inventive with a layered structure and pleasant melodies. Final track 'Sunday Morning' is a soporific ending to an album which has obviously been carefully crafted by confident musicians who have absolute faith in the quality of their work.

The Hitchcock Rules should be proud of the album that they have made. It delivers a fairly wide range of song-types, and contains a few gems which charm the listener. They mix up the slower ballads with the faster pop-rock tracks well in a fashion similar to Razorlight, and they appear to improve as the album wears on ' a very rare and encouraging feat indeed.

They possess tracks which could give The Kooks a run for their money in terms of catchiness. Their inoffensive brand of music will earn them a wide-ranging audience, especially with the younger generation.

Rating: 3.5/5

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12/11/2008
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The Hitchcock Rules - For My Monster (First Aid Records)
Cornwall band The Hitchcock Rules make an impressive album which is sure to win them many fans in the near-distant future.

08/01/2009
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The Hitchcock Rules' official website
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