Over the Counter Culture

Original it may not be, but what comes through most of all is the fact that this is solid stuff; confident vocals coupled with rama-lama glam guitars and very British lyrics ("Stop throwing insults/ And crockery around") shows the band's natural, infectious talent. In fact, the only time the band come a cropper is in "The List Goes On", an overreaching lament for musical originality--slightly hypocritical in light of the band's immediate (and very obvious) influences, most notably the Jam. A good indicator of things to come, this set is certainly a recommended choice, with enough promise to show that the Ordinary Boys will be around for a while yet. --Thom Allott