Pete Yorn prides himself on being something of a cultural magpie. This 26-year-old singer-songwriter from New Jersey is, by his own admission, obsessed with all things Manchester - and the charm of his debut album is that he manages to capture the best of both worlds. Sung in a gloriously fake English accent, these upbeat love songs cross Americana songwriting with Brit-punk attitude, as much influenced by Bruce Springsteen as The Smiths. Keeping control of such a bewildering mix of influences is a tricky balancing act, and at times Yorn can't help stumbling into the realms of pastiche. Most of the time, however, he pulls it off brilliantly - and there's more than enough memorable melodies here to suggest that his is a name for the future.
