The Locarnos - 'Give It To Me Straight'

As synths are clearly becoming a necessity in your average new band’s instrument line-up, here, it seems that they don’t change anything about a band that is clearly, primarily influence by The Kooks. Josh Brooksbank sounds like a less irritating Luke Pritchard with better attitudes and values, and that sums up everything about The Locarnos based on debut single ‘Give It To Me Straight’ – swaying between respectable indie pop and nauseating lad-rock simply because of their influences. Indecision is the running theme, guitars don’t sound edgy enough or they don’t sound atmospheric enough. But the other influences, which clearly include Bloc Party and The Maccabees, help balance things up, making this a half-decent single, right until the point where the band chant “e-o!”, which sort of ruins everything.

Released 31/03/08 on South West.