When it comes to recreating the sound of the American west coast, it seems that these days no-one does it better than the Scots and the Irish. Hot on the heels of The Thrills come Cosmic Rough Riders, a Glaswegian four-piece who seem to have left their hearts in San Francisco. Their second album is a tranquil blend of sun-drenched jangle-pop and breezy harmonies - imagine a cross between the radio-friendliness of Teenage Fanclub and the politeness of Travis and you get the picture. Sadly, absorbing all these sterling influences has come at a price - the Riders lack any clear identity of their own, singer Stephen Fleming has an anonymous voice, and most of his songs are virtually indistinguishable from each other. So while Too Close To See Far is never less than enjoyable, it's nowhere near exciting enough to linger in the memory.

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