Deadbeat Echoes - Surge Of Youth (7" vinyl)

Deadbeat Echoes are apparently 17 years old and from Cheshire. If this was released on anything but Wise Auld Owl John Robb's new label then I'd be a more than a little suspicious of it being a bunch of here-today- gone-tomorrow also-rans with expensive parkas or yet another band that sounds shackled to obvious American college rock influences. As it happens the 'A side', 'Surge of Youth', is extremely indebted to the propulsive energy and sexy, breathless mod/punk of early Arctic Monkeys, all fast twangy riffing guitars (also worth mentioning 'Fuckin' in the Bushes' from the otherwise dreadful Oasis album 'SOTSOG') and frantic rhythm section topped with forceful, increasingly punchy vocals that betray the singer's youngster credentials. Also there's something quite urgent and exciting about this rousing single's 'B' side. It too sounds quite British in spirit and weighs in somewhere between pacy overcoat rock and anthemic punk-pop. The title is very apt, this release, sonically, is indeed a surge of youth and the air-punching dinky guitar line on 'Forces' that carries with it a blinding melody leaves the hairs on my neck standing to attention. These songs are rather fine, if nothing particularly new in style, and more than pack in some honest passion and vigour. Watch for more from these lads, they sound like the real deal.