Buena Vista Bingo Club,
Captain Everything
Oh Captain Everything, how we love you. If they're not the best band in the country right now, they're definitely the best band in the country at what they do. Simply put, they do the fast and furious pop-punk thing better than pretty much everyone, ever. The sheer speed is to be marvelled at, but combine with it melodies and vocal harmonies and I swear you'll be slackjawed at just how good this band can be. The best bit, however, is that C*E have their tongues so far in their cheeks they'd need to be surgically removed. I mean the name 'Kerrong' is quite possibly the song title of the year, even if it does risk have a 'K' shaved from what should be a perfect score.
'Buena Vista Bingo Club' races through 15 songs and only 2 are longer than 3 minutes. Seven tracks don't even make it to 2 minutes. So immediately you can see that C*E put quality over quantity - and believe me there's quality here in abundance. The triple opening salvo of 'Attention Anyone', 'Prince Charming' and 'We Used To Be Friends' flies by in the blink of an eye. But those three tracks are nowhere near the best on the CD, yet they're all fucking brilliant. 'A Bigger Boat' is pure Captain Everything - drums faster than a rapid fire machine gun, a chugging guitar riff and some of the sweetest vocals around.
'Bomb Song' may be a little more 'radio' than any C*E song previously released - and I only say that because the choruses are exaggerated and its slightly slower - but it's still brilliant. Ditto 'Ode To Noya' (how good are those "ooohs"?) and the hilarious 'You Vs Brain', which you're destined to play over and over and over and over again. Poor joke, sorry! 'Buena Vista Bingo Club' doesn't bring too much new to the Captain Everything table. It's the band as we've always loved them, but better. While '...Rocket Science' seemed to have an immediate impact with me, I've been spinning this new album pretty much constantly since I got it. I can't describe just how good this record is...seriously, switch off the computer and go and pick this record up. Then play it loud, practice your best air drumming and sing along like a fool. It's the only way to enjoy probably the best UK album released this year...
» Official Website
» Listen on Myspace
