There won't be too many better debut albums released by UK bands, you can be sure of that. The Don Ramos Players are passionate, honest and full of good songs - and as this record shows, they can put everything together to create a blinding album. From John's gruff Hot Water Music-esque vocals to the battering ram of music behind him, this is excellent from start to finish. 'Inkjets and Toners' - a firm favourite of mine for a long time now - is such a good song I've been listening to it for months now and it still sounds as fresh as a daisy. But then that's TDRP all over.
It's a record that features all of the good bits of the genre; shouty vocals, gang vocals, posi lyrics,
everything. But the thing is, when the band don't push the pedal to the floor, as on 'Skyscrapers', they still sound fantastic. It's hardly the token ballad, but it doesn't sound out of place or contrite at all. And that's always how you can distinguish a good record from the bad. 'Over, Under, Sideways', for me, sums the record up - it's a stunner. As I said, find me a better UK debut and you're a better man than me!
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