The Common Redstarts - ‘Killing Street’ (Seeca) Released 27/03/06

The Common Redstarts are no-nonsense, straight ahead, sweat fuelled rockers - well most of the time. ‘Killing Street’ is a dizzying call to arms pounding none stop through three and a half minutes of chugging, rough around the edges, riffs. A good starting point but by no means perfect. It lacks the lyrical ingenuity to really catch the ear, its all rather pleasing sonically but at no point do we really believe in what Jordan Croan is singing. That moment comes in B-side ‘Angel Eyed Friend’, a woozy Gallagher-esque acoustic number encircling the central lyrics of "I just don't know what this is about / I've got these chemicals in me, tryin' to get out/ So where was your help, my angel eyed friend.” Here a deftly told tale wins out over stomping rock n' roll.