Monday 30/07/07 Mexicolas @ Bar Academy Islington, London

For those that thought that Mexicolas was the name of the cheap brand of imported Coca-Cola that they brought from their local off-licence last week, we have good news, it isn’t (as far as we know, anyway). Mexicolas, contrary to their name, don’t even have anything to do with Mexico. They do, in fact hail from Birmingham – a city located in a part of the UK which is churning out more good produce at the moment than a Bernard Matthews Turkey farm.

 Is it the mass un-employment that’s sucking the souls out of people in the area like The Enemy tell us that’s caused this talent burst? Well, probably but we’re not hear to judge – that’s Tom Clarke’s job. Whatever it is, we’re certainly not complaining.

In the depths of Islington’s Bar Academy tonight a new Midlands band is brewing, or rather – judging by the veins in the lead singer’s neck – pulsating, with something really quite, well, bloody – bloody good.

Dark yet verbosely uplifting, Mexicolas riffage is riveting from the reverb of opener, ‘Come Clean,’ to the sets closer, ‘Shame’ - which features a postlude so deep and bolshy that you could wrap it in wrapping paper and Josh Homme would think all his Christmas’s had come at once.

There’s a lot of Homme in lead singer, James Evans – from his tight short- sleeved shirt to his venomous voice. There’s a lot of Queens Of The Stone Age in Mexicolas as well. Only, on songs like, ‘Big In Japan’ and ‘Suffer,’ it’s more QOTSA meets the Foo Fighters, who then go on to have a one night stand with a pre-2007 newly reformed Smashing Pumpkins. A bizarre night? Yes. You’d pay to see it though wouldn’t you? Thought so.

You wait. Give it a few more singles and you might just find a drink called Mexicolas in your local off-licence. Only, this one will have three grinning guys from Birmingham on the side and it’ll probably, no, it will definitely explode when you open it and then slap you in the face more good measure.