The Camembert Quartet are a riot. Decked out like a 1950s cabaret act, this gang of cheeky misfits (there are five of them, naturally) specialise in extracting the urine from everything that's bizarre and absurd in the Irish music industry. Refreshingly, they don't just aim for the easy targets - on this, their second album, the Californian stylings of trendy Blackrock boys, the Thrills, are considered just as fair game as the permanently irritating boyband craze. Like the classic Beatles pastiche act the Rutles, the Quartet pull it off because they're actually skilled musicians in their own right - you get the impression they'd be in a serious band if they didn't find this so much more fun. The only problem is that, like most comedy groups, their schtick works far better live than it does on record, where that all-important visual impact is lost. So, by all means, buy this entertaining album - but get a ticket to see them as well.
