Kid Galahad Gold Dust Noise

Listening to debut albums can be a perverse affair. While history shows some absolute cracking first attempts from the likes of Joy Division, the Smiths and Stone Roses amongst many others, some of the time it can go the other way. In these instances, you see a band who has released a few singles/EPs and look promising. Then they fall flat on their arses when trying for that next step, and the likes of David Coleman rip them apart (Hello, My Vitriol).

What I knew about Kid Galahad was limited to hearing the Swimming To Shore single on MTV a few times before pestering our esteemed editor finally brought Gold Dust Noise to my ageing stereo. And if they do nothing else, at least they've one up on My Vitriol.

Swimming To Shore stands out, of course. Fuelled by an incessant riff and a catchy chorus, it's also wisely placed near the middle of the set. Therefore we're also treated to Where's My Gold? and Stealin' Beats which showcase Kid Galahad as an outfit capable to knocking together some killer toe-tapping tunes.

Unfortunately, the first half of the album also sees them fall into Indie Band Trap #34: Trying to sound like Radiohead. Slow Piano's and melancholy vocals may work for Thom Yorke, but not here. After the somewhat pedestrian Salvation, it's a relief to be back to the more riotous sound of Runaway Train.

So, to wrap it up. All in all, a pretty good album. OK, so it isn't an Unknown Pleasures or Nowhere by any stretch, but equally, it's still better then anything Ash, Muse or Travis have released recently. So a round of applause and general kudos all round to Maidenhead's finest.