Mando Diao - 'Long Before Rock'n'Roll' (Nettwerk) Released 12/03/07

One would say Sweden’s Mando Diao seem to be doing quite well of late, touring around America and Europe, racking up fans all over Myspace and recording high budget film clips and all that, but has anyone stopped and actually listened to the five lads? Anyone think they sound and look a little familiar…well add a little smack and an egotistical co-frontman and they will have succeed 100% in looking like the “Likely Lads” most commonly known as the The Libertines! Everything this band does screams “We Wanna Be The Libertines” from their pseudo English accents, to the guitars they use, to the duelling vocals arguing and agreeing like a couple of pissed up flat mates, right down to their leather bomber jackets. Ok the chorus lines are catchy and the band can definitely play a hell of a lot better than their now defunct musical tutors, but their newest single and overall sound is so unashamedly ripping of Doherty and Beret that you can’t help but scratch your head and wonder if this is a b-side that slipped through the net and ended up being performed by a bunch of guys who obviously have talent but cant write an original medley! What the hell is going on people?!