We Start Fires - We Start Fires

Two albums that never left my CD player when I was in my teens were Kenickie's 'At the Club' and Sleeper's 'The It Girl'. Something about brattish, obnoxious female singers seemed just so much more exciting than the Blur and Oasis battle, and actually, I still listen to those albums every now and then. They really do never get old.

I'd heard We Start Fires being compared with Kenickie on a blog and was curious to see what all the fuss was about. If I'm being honest, the only comparison I could instantly see was the fact that they were a mostly female indie band from the North East. It's nice to be pleasantly surprised for a change.

This album is very good indeed. In fact, I'd go as far to say that the press has been less favourable than they ought to have been. This sounds like both the decent second album that Kenickie never made, and the cracking third album that Sleeper would have made, had the line-up not gone a bit Pete Tong towards the end. Instantly catchy riffs mix with spectacularly cheesy synth and a vocalist that actually does sound like a second generation Lauren Laverne. It's an album that rewards being played loud, rattles out quality tune after quality tune and leaves you with an urgent desire to scan the gig list and buy tickets for you and all your friends to see We Start Fires at the nearest available venue.

Buy this album. Buy it today. And if you can, get the Japanese version as well; that usually has some cool bonus tracks. :)

Inverse Midas


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