Despite Kid British's name evoking imagery of BNP-voting skinheads restraining Union Jack-draped bulldogs, the Mancunians are about as vicious or threatening as a puppy in a padded cell. Having already secured the patronage of The Specials' Lynval Golding (they supported the reformed ska band on some of their comeback dates), the quartet release their debut album in two 'halves', with the second to follow in September. [Please note: this review incorporates the entire album].
Perhaps that wasn't their record company's most inspired move: having heard the first six tracks of 'It Was This or Football', it'll take something stronger than orange quarters to get you through the second lot. It's all too easy to pigeonhole Kid British's sound: these are straightforward indie-pop songs with an occasional ska or cod reggae bent. Nothing wrong there, I hear you say, and you'd be right - but the problem is that the young band try too hard to relay the same sort of witty urban commentary as Arctic Monkeys or The Streets (worrying about getting lost in London and regretting staying in for the delivery man do not a classic make), and fail miserably on both scores.
Even Stephen Street's slick production seems futile when a band have nothing of note to say, but he does manage to shape 'Rum Boys'. And 'Drive Thru' into catchy little numbers that fall somewhere in the midst of The Ordinary Boys, McFly and The Libertines. That said, the Madness-sampling 'Our House is Dadless' is a bit too cheesy for its own good.
Kid British sound most at home when they're not trying to be clever, or cram a million ideas into a song like it's their last time in a recording studio - slinky closing track 'Cosmopolitan' is about the best track here. There are dim chinks of potential here, but overall, perhaps football would be a safer bet.
