Now that Busted are, well, busted, McFly are the undisputed champions of the boyband-with-guitars scene. On their second album they consolidate that title with a string of fizzy pop songs that recall the more lightweight end of the1960s (in other words, more Monkees than Beatles). So far, so predictable - but to do them justice, there's also evidence that the fresh-faced quartet are beginning to grow up a little, with lyrics tackling such subjects as suicide and middle-aged depression. They may be clumsy in places, but they add a welcome depth to a package that's in danger of becoming too processed and predictable. Will McFly continue to court the screaming teenagers or could they evolve into something much more interesting? This uneven but occasionally excellent album suggests it really could go either way.
