“Sounds like the kind of raw American songcraft of Paul Westerberg” Album Review: The Young Playthings - Who Invented Love?

Probably best to pretend you misread the song titles on this release, and that this London-based power-pop trio don't have tracks called 'Hot Sex With A Girl I Love' and 'Yr So Fit (For Me)'. In fact it's blissfully easy to overlook that last title, the song isn't actually on this album (I just thought it my duty to let you know it was out there).

There's a certain mucky teenage quality to The Young Playthings, who with their desperately unconvincing American accents assault Top 40 pop sensibilities whilst grazing The Lemonheads, Bob Mould and Weezer along the way.

The adrenaline shot of 'Kimberly Renee' initiates proceedings, its pure pop approach expanded upon with the Buddy Holly-ish 'So Good, So Bad' So Good'. Bringing back memories of the fuzzy faux-West Coast harmonies of Silver Sun, or less generously the skateboard-carrying shopping mall punk pop of Blink 182, Sum 41 et al, the band embark upon 'She's A Rebel' which is the auditory equivalent of American Pie 6, and brings the work started by Busted to its logical conclusion.

Far, far better is 'Just A Fool' which sounds like the kind of raw American songcraft of Paul Westerberg. A vast improvement. The curiously straight-laced pop here is somewhat made sense of by the fact that The Young Playthings were recently chosen as The Pipettes' tour support. Sure enough, these guys know how to deliver energised bubblegum in no short supply.

© Boomkat 2007