Autokat – ‘Dish Out / Get Off The Bar’ (Akoustik Anarchy Recordings) Released 01/05/06

Hmmm. This really shouldn’t work, being as it is completely retrogressive psychedelic pop but for some bloody annoying reason, I find myself enjoying it. John Allen’s vocals are faded in the mix and drenched in reverb which gives the whole affair a very slightly sinister feel. The drums are light and jazzy and the guitar restrained even though it’s shifting rapidly. The apparent use of bedroom as studio might explain this but it all seems to work nicely. ‘Get Off The Bar' is less successful with little edge to elevate above the usual northern indie pop fare. A sudden shift into massed guitars raises the bar a little but the song drifts back into derivate predictability soon after.