Back in the mid-90s, Therapy? briefly threatened to become the most successful band to come out of Ireland since U2. In the years that followed, however, the Northern rockers went through enough record company and personnel difficulties to split them up several times over. Luckily, Andy Cairns and co are resilient men - and, as High Anxiety shows, still blissfully unconcerned about the dictates of fashion. A short, sharp collection of loud, melodic punk-metal shot through with Cairns's trademark black humour, it rattles along at a fair old pace, providing plenty of entertainment without ever threatening to become particularly original or exciting. Basically, it's the musical equivalent of fish and chips - plain, unpretentious but, once in a while, very satisfying. Therapy? may have lost their chance to win the commercial jackpot, but they've proven themselves to be true survivors - and the Irish rock scene would be a poorer place without them.
