Album Review

The Standards – Out Of The Fire EP

• 12th Feb 2010

The Standards don’t seem to represent the acme of cool, but strangely this song does. A cool track done in that melodic, snarling older man (a la Reverend and the Makers) way. It’s catchier than the Fireman Sam theme tune and reaks of London thirty-something indie-dom. The greying Jam fan, smoking a thin cigarette outside some Camden haunt wondering why you can’t buy a pint in London for less than a fiver, moaning about the state of rock ‘n’ roll while gingerly sniffing some poppers and being all to methodical in their approach to pop.

A very well made pop song, almost too mature, and therein lies the problem. The track, with a booming chorus of “don’t mystify or vilify me” seems directed at an older audience, oozing adulthood from a swervey guitar chant, which relentlessly chugs along throughout. It’s all rather too perfect, the vocals too controlled and lyrics too breezy. It’s a phenomenal pop song, done by a band who seem so far removed from pop music. Confusingly brilliant, it’s a great debut. 4/5