1990s - Kicks

Thu 26th Mar, 2009 in Music Reviews

Kicks is the second album from Scottish three-piece 1990s, following on from their first mono-monikered effort Cookies. I daresay their next album should be called Chicks or Babes, as that triumvirate of themes covers what the band is all about. Good times, sweet temptations and a solid dose of womanising shenanigans. Each member of 1990s had previously been part of well-regarded bands – namely Yummy Fur and V-Twins – yet seem to have found this configuration a light-hearted and liberating outlet for their songwriting.

Despite a fair few years’ experience under their collective belts, the enthusiasm and liveliness of this album would have you thinking it was a fresh-faced bunch of teens or early 20-somethings behind it, rather than three chaps with a collective age that would be approaching three figures.

The opening track Vondel Park establishes the relentlessly upbeat tone of the album, all ringing guitars, “oh oh ohh ohhhs” and even a “wooh!’. The band then outlandishly skirt through a bouncy brace of styles ranging from – œ70s stomping glam, the fuzz-rock of their namesake decade to shiny, anthemic power pop.

The various members are obviously musically astute and able to ape any era that takes their fancy. However, they’re also canny enough to make the resulting sounds contemporarily compelling; not dated and derivative. There’s nothing really too profound to distract you in the lyrics either, with the lads throwing in some blokey boasting and sly backhanders amongst the ever-chipper guitar riffs and bouncing basslines.

I suspect the production of Bernard Butler probably avoided things getting too flippant, with some vocal dynamics and tension echoing his former life as the slinking frontman of Suede. His influence seems to add depth, shade and intrigue to the songs. The guest vocals of The Long Blondes’ Kate Jackson on Kickstrasse provides a respite from the boy’s-own feel of some of the tracks. Her sultry and sassy singing gives the album a welcome injection of sauciness, before the unaffected pure-pop sing-a-longs that follow.

Kicks is a cheeky collection that would be the perfect accompaniment to a music festival road-trip or just before you head out the door for a night on the town. Giddying good fun.

Kicks is out now on Rough Trade through Remote Control.