A super-smart Scottish art-rock band with a neat line in New Wave pastiche? Haven't we got one of those already? Well, yes - but if you're getting a bit tired of the Franz Ferdinand album, then this isn't at all a bad substitute. It's not difficult to spot Dogs Die In Hot Cars's influences, from the pop stomp of Madness to the camp vocal stylings of Dexy's Midnight Runners, adding in a dash of XTC's lyrical whimsy for good measure. Crucially, however, the Fife five-piece manage to blend these second-hand ingredients together and come up with a style that's entirely their own, arch and witty without being too clever for its own good. All told, Please Describe Yourself is an unexpected indie gem that puts the fun back into being pretentious. Now, could they please do something about that absolutely terrible name?
