Electrelane - 'Singles, B-Sides and Live' (Too Pure) Released 21/08/2006

As a rule singles and rarities collections are the last vestige of huge multi-million selling artists who either want to show us that even their off cuts are pretty damn good (see Oasis 'The Masterplan') or that they really need the cash. It is quite suprising then, that little know Brighton all-girl experimenters Electrelane are putting out exactly that. The press release evens claims that this is a golden opportunity for us to get those 'hard to find' rare tracks and classic live moments on recorded form for the very first time, but let's be honest, whose been looking for them?

Well shame on you if you answered nobody to that. Maybe you've never heard of 'em, but this really is something quite special. A stop-gap between 2005's sublime 'Axes' and a new album pencilled in for release in 2007, 'Singles B-Sides and Live' is the perfect introduction to one of shoe-gazing artful melodic rock's most undervalued secrets.

The bottom line here is that if you can remember enjoying the likes of Can, Slowdive and St Etienne in the early nineties and are more than a bit partial to prog-rock served with a ear-bleeding slab of Mogwai/Sonic Youth, these are your girls. 'UOR' is driving bass led fret-bashing, blending into wails of feedback drenched guitar howling and not a moment ruining vocal in sight. 'I Want To Be The President' sounds like Elastica on tranquilizers, a cutting vocal: "My gun is bigger than yours/My tank is bigger than yours" and a decent slice of scuzzy bleeps and bits that you could even dance to.

'I'm On Fire' is psychedelic prog-punk, shouty vocals that no doubt serve to get the blood pumping back into the limbs that have been dormant for the more wistful Electrelane tracks, but the passion remains the same whether they are creating airy soundscapes or raising the roof: there is a burning energy to Electrelanes music which, through this collection covering all their bases and styles shines through with quality.