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5 out of 10
In the seething, self-regarding, maelstrom of drivel that is pop music today, a band needs something pretty special to stand out; a huge, underground following, perhaps, or a tragic addiction to smack and frightening hair. Aberdeen alcopop trio Edgar Prais have several; their MySpace profile boasts 1205 billion friends (Which is surely every Earth organism, alive or dead) and they have been inspired to take their name from a local lawyer. Another, on the basis of this debut single at least, is underpinning a timelessly cheerful guitar bounce with some glorious Grampian menace. This darkness comes partly from the slightly ill judged riffs but mostly from the reality-check lyrics. 'Pop Song #93' talks of an 'aching alcoholic melody' with 'a bottle between its knees', whilst its main character declares 'this life is surely no life for me' and ends up 'in the toilet on my knees'. Quite the most catchy, optimistic-sounding misery I've heard in a long time.
Drink rears its fuzzy head in 'Jaimie', too, with a shout-out for gin, a declaration that 'Jaimie's doctor is her closest friend' and the axiom 'desire's so hard to suppress, so I drink to forget'. In contrast to its story, the track would make a great hangover cure - you'll either wake up with a clear brain and eyes that refuse to close, or run screaming back to bed declaring, like Jaimie, 'my body's broken'. I can see the pop-art video now - Whaam!
If you want to play 'sounds-like' then you might as well start with anything late punk / early New Wave, before tipping a wink to Franz Ferdinand et al and passing the Kaiser Chiefs and the Twang (Both of whom Edgar Prais have supported), before realising that this band could eclipse the lot if they can continue to marry knife-bright melodies with voices from the street. And polish those riffs.
Tracklist:
1. Pop Song #93
2. Jaimie
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