Oh, Atoms – Sugar Mouse

have been described in various quarters as the folk version of the Ting Tings. Quite where that arose from we’re not sure, as this track doesn’t make you want to tear your own ears off and eat them to prevent surgical reattachment, and singer Gwen Cheeseman (formerly of Psapp, fact fans) is, well, actually a singer. Rather than an aural abomination we instead have a whimsical, breezy little number about confectionary. The duo treat us to a veritable pick’n’mix of instruments, in effect making this the best song featuring banjo since… actually, answers on a postcard to that one please.

However, we’re damning ‘Sugar Mouse’ with faint praise here. As jangly and Belle and Sebastian-lite as it is, it never really captures the heart as well as intended, remaining the shy wallflower in the floral skirt drinking Panda Pops at the village hall disco. Indeed, it’s this inoffensiveness which succeeds in making it a great choice for the soundtrack of teen film ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’ – though DIY can’t independently verify this, for obvious reasons. Indeed, we can’t help but think it would work better in a cinematic context – think any dramatic ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ closing scene; hell, they even managed to make recent Snow Patrol sound good – but through headphones it remains resounding indifferent.