That probably verges on blasphemy for some, but surely it's a valid point. Luke Pritchard and chums may have the advantage of being filed under 'indie', but essentially they're as pop as they come. She Moves In Her Own Way would fit snugly onto this album, but who would you rather admit to liking?

With previous album Wonderland, the McFly lads seemed to try and address this problem, by going - gulp - 'mature'. They looked all miserable and moody on the sleeve, uncomfortably clad in sensible M and S attire, with the music itself largely leaving behind the spunky anthems of their debut for something more refined. It had its moments, but they're always at their best when knocking out carefree, breezy pop, without giving a stuff for credibility. Thankfully, on Motion In The Ocean, they've stopped taking themselves too seriously again.

Please Please and Stargirl, both number one singles, will already have given you a fair idea of what to expect. While hardly experimental, some parts of it are a bit 80s, and album closer Home Is Where The Heart Is sounds distressingly like Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead Or Alive, an ill-advised stab at stadium rock. For the most part, though, this is delightfully undemanding bubblegum pop.

The morose faces of Wonderland's cover are replaced with images of some kerrazy shenanigans involving swimming underwater - wait for it - fully clothed! At least they've rediscovered their sense of fun, and the often utterly daft lyrics suggest they're now happy to appeal to their teen audience with a sly nudge and a wink. On Star Girl they "fall in love with Uranus", while Little Joanna contains a baffling reference to "cellulite dreams" and the subject's "glutteous maximus", heh heh heh.

It would be a waste of time to delve too deeply into the songs and their meaning. Like candy floss for the ears, there's little substance but it sounds great- brilliantly executed and something you should NOT feel guilty about liking. Sure it's manufactured, but this sound of four lads with instruments having a laugh is a darn sight better than anything you're likely to find on X-Factor.

  share with:  Facebook | Digg | other sites