“A must for any music fan.”

Public Service Broadcast Five is yet another disc full of burgeoning new artists from around the country, kicking against the monopoly that is the Music Industry. Twenty-three tracks from twenty-three artists, this is an eye opener and no mistake. Run in part by Jetplane Landing purely to expose the underexposed, it’s not hard to see why Smalltown America have become such a landmark name in unsigned music.

The opening track by Birmingham’s Distophia is as good a start as any, merging seafood and Biffy Clyro in a Midlands style. Any CD with twenty-three bands on is going to have some lesser moments, but there is also something here for everyone. Twofold emerge to blow the disc apart, louder than bombs, they’re definitely worth seeing when they arrive at The Zodiac on November 20th, 2004 with Hundred Reasons. Truck Records’ favourite Piney Gir is on hand to supply us with the lyrical genius of ‘la la la’, an electro stumble through everything everyone loves about the little American lady. The Nothing, Cayto and Grand Delinquents are among the other PSB5 highlights, each offering their own twist on twangyness, some loud, some quiet and some neither.

Local interest lies with Dive Dive - ‘Swedish Song' is reason enough to adore them. This is Dive Dive gone heavy, a punk monster, frankly genius. The honest truth of the matter is, this is the best song of the lot, catchy without being ‘pop’ and heavy without being scary.

At only £5 this is a must for any music fan, a breath of fresh air bringing optimism to the world of New Music. Roll on PSB6!

© BBC Oxford 2004