Jake Starr and The Delicious Fullness “Tastes Good”

We don’t know how long Jake Starr and The Delicious Fullness spent choosing their name.. but it’s a damn good one. Also, together with the album title and cover, it gives you a good idea what to expect from this album. This isn’t going to be an “Ok Computer” (thank god!) but promises a good dollop of fifties pop mixed with power pop and garage rock n roll.

That’s a point immediately rammed home with the equally appropriately titled “Yummy”. Together with songs like “Learnin’ To Howl” they have a style which is equal parts bubble gum pop and early Stones rock n roll. It adds up to tracks which are irresistibly catchy and whilst throwaway not twee.

That’s not to say it’s all sugary sweet. Indeed, there is an element of danger and a swagger to songs like “Vanilla Revisited” and “Dying On The Vine”. It’s a sound which blends in a kind of surf rock feel and has you reminiscing about bands like The Cramps.

A particular highlight is the quite sublime “A Place Called ‘I Love You’” a sleaze punk n roller that’s as catchy as it is dirty. Things at least start off sounding a bit more wholesome on “By The Grace Of Mod” which opens with some “All Or Nothing” aping drums before moving on to a sixties flavoured psychedelic rock n roller. But don’t think these boys are afraid to show their punk rock side, that’s obvious on the raucous “11cc”.

Listening to this album it almost feels like a dirty rock n roll band have accidentally got their hands on the soundtrack to some big teen drama film. They take catchy songs and add a sense of debauchery in the way that the brilliant Mink Deville did in the past. Beware these songs may be very contagious!