We Start Fires - Caught Redhanded

We loved Kenickie almost as we love making lazy journalistic references. North Eastern? Check. Three quaters female? Yep. Jangly indie-tinged punka anthems? Need we even ask?

And if you stopped reading there, you’re only cheating yourself. While some of us may hold those heady days of nineties mayhem in higher regard than others, despite some preferring to pretend they always liked the introspective shoegazing drone of today’s cool kids, there’s never been anything that could stand up against a good old fashioned tune.

We Start Fires have been touring up and down the country like their lives depended on it for what seems like forever. If you’ve already caught their whirling, no-holds-barred live show you won’t need convincing. If you haven’t, it won’t take long regardless. Synths, guitars and triple vocal melodies is the kind of recipie that would get even Delia Smith hot under the collar.

‘Bang Bang’ - a title that couldn’t be much more appropriate if it tried. Edgy, melodic, punchy and spaced out in equal measures, the agenda is well and truly set. ‘Dolls House’ is almost anthemic, almost new-wave-indie-grrl-britpop-punk in execution, while title track ‘Caught Redhanded’ conjures up the spirit of Elastica past, gives it a dust down, and promptly throws it straight back in your face.

No, barriers may not be being pushed too hard, but when you can bring things home with a trio as good as ‘When You Fall’, ‘Space Song’ and ‘Blackout’, who needs worry? The way things stand right now, We Start Fires could be on the edge of something quite special, and you can’t say you weren’t warned.