When the Bluetones released their first album way back in 1996, they were one of the most talked-about bands in Britain. These days, however, last year's Best Of notwithstanding, they look as though they're fighting a losing battle for the public's attention. The reason is simple: the amiable Hounslow quartet have totally failed to develop. Luxembourg is exactly the same as everything else they've ever done: a mild-mannered collection of indie-rock songs about clubbing, drugs and girls that's pleasant, enjoyable, but ultimately completely harmless. And while a healthy proportion of the tunes are catchy enough to lodge themselves in the memory, the sad truth is that Mark Morriss's reedy voice begins to wear extremely thin long before the album's end. As hard as they try - and to be fair, they do try extremely hard - the Bluetones' biggest problem is that Britpop is dead. And this album isn't nearly good enough to revive it.
