It's been a long timing coming, the debut album from Dublin-based pop rocksters Superjiminez, with Bang's lead singles originally released as far back as 2006. Dominated by up-tempo numbers in major keys with tuneful harmonies, this is pure sing-a-long material, but it's got no edge, no personalilty and, worst of all, only banal and predictable tunes.
Their style falls somewhere between 90s Britpop and the kind of cheese-tastic guitar pop that could only be aired on Irish radio, squarely in the vicinity of mediocrity. It's certainly amenable to head-bopping, but it's all too familiar, and not in a good way. 'Faye' may be driven forward by Strokesy guitars, but the clean-cut vocals and high energy "heys" thwart any real comparison with the New York garage rockers.
In Superjiminez' defence, some of the songs here are quite catchy, and there is a certain amount of feel-good energy here. Single 'Beau' is a prime example, with its repetitive chorus gnawing at your brain until you find yourself singing it in the shower. Still, if there was any hope of passing 'Bang' off as a harmless pop record that's purely for social occasions and not to be taken seriously, it's crushed by the cringe-worthy 'My World' which not only contains a trite chorus and a co-ordinated-for-sing-a-long-and-arm-waving series of "na na nas", but also some truly awful lyrics like "What's the point in skies?"
They may by touted as the next big thing in Irish music, and with their super radio-friendly guitar pop they probably will be, but that doesn't change the fact that with 'Bang,' Superjiminez have presented nothing but a selection of unoriginal and highly uninspiring songs.
