Dirty Sexy Knights in Paris

Like pretty much every Yank angst contender, they dip into the clichés a little too readily: "The Energy" uses American shrink-talk to vocalise the pain of emotional separation, Jason Boyd singing "Every now and then I think about you / it's bringing me closer to closure" like he's stretching out on a psychiatrist's couch, not confronting his demons. Still, the song's titanic chorus drives it home with the insane power of a Faith No More oldie; and with songs like the seismic "Gravity" and the subtle, atmospheric "When the Rain" to follow it up, such niggles pale into insignificance. Forget Incubus a moment: this is a debut that can stand on its own two feet. --Louis Pattison