IV Thieves - ‘The Day Is A Downer’ (One Little Indian) Released 09/10/06

Apparently, Noel Gallagher is rather a fan.  Perhaps because ‘The Day is a Downer’ is uncannily like less stirring ‘Round Are Way’.  Perhaps years of Britpop hedonism have ransacked his parka-clad noggin, as this by no means stands up to his “pretty special” proclamations.  The title track’s tales of urban monotony have been frankly done to a greasy kebab-shop death, and their irritatingly derivative sound instantly grates.  Sassy, commanding guitar riffs and dominant drums lift them slightly out of their grubby Nottingham gutters, but ultimately even the soaring vocal layering of ‘when we met/you had just cut your hair’ on the final track can’t make the lyrics any less embarrassing.