Calling a band the 'older' version of anything always sounds a bit cruel. In this case, however, referring to The Twang as 'the Arctic Monkeys' older brothers' is a fairly accurate interpretation. The Birmingham quintet may not share their younger counterparts' musical ingenuity, and they'll probably never reach their dizzy heights of success, either - but, like most big brothers, they're the sort of band who sound like they've moulded and influenced that which came after them. In truth, The Twang's style could be summed up as comprehensively derivative; yes, they do borrow heavily from Madchester, baggy and early-'90s Britpop. When they do it so well, and with a lyrical aptitude that matches the aforementioned Monkeys and Mike Skinner's The Streets, however, it makes them somewhat harder to dismiss. The fact that the Brummies are signed to B-Unique - a label renowned for its 'lad-rock' roster (Kaiser Chiefs, The Automatic, The Ordinary Boys) - could be offputting to some, but the shouty anthems and singalong choruses on Love It When I Feel Like This are surprisingly few and far between. Opener Ice Cream Sundae fuses the guitar and bassline of Morrissey's 'November Spawned A Monster' with authentic early '90s baggy a la The Charlatans; debut single Wide Awake is one of several that allude to former tour mates James's upbeat Northern jangle, as does the anthemic Either Way; The Neighbours' meandering riff sparks comparisons with both Parklife and Kinky Afro, whereas the Salt 'n' Pepa bassline-sampling Push the Ghosts brings about a darker rattle, not unlike '80s REM. It's not all rehashes of former glories, however; Reap What You Sow has a distinctly modern edge, with Phil Etheridge's spoken word-styled vocals holding a similar swagger to either Ian Brown or Liam Gallagher, and Cloudy Room's dark, effects-fraught funk brings the album to a shuddering, almost distorted close. While it's all well and good to revel in nostalgia, it's more difficult to create something that's fresh enough for a new audience to enjoy; Love It When I Feel Like This manages both successfully. A really good album.
