Another week, another band from Yorkshire. It pays to be wary of any attempt at scene building. The Research hail from Wakefield but they have very little in common with the sarky lads that form the backbone of the 'New Yorkshire' scene. For a start the dynamic of the group is different, with two girls and a boy - less room for sports gear and testosterone, thank heavens. Even better is the fact that they dress like they sound, slightly odd but switched on.
The music that Russell, Georgia and Sarah produce is junk shop pop, not guitar laced indie rock. The sound of Russell's cheap keyboard dominates the song adding an almost music hall/social club cabaret slant to the sound. This is a good thing - a manic pop thrill, a dizzy pound shop dance across a sticky nightclub floor.
They do have a touch of Yorkshire about them, as there are traces of Pulp's off kilter pop in the nylon synths and deadpan vocals. There's also a cheeky little touch in the lyrics mentioning Sparks' This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of Us. I am heartened to hear something that is unafraid to show its love of pop and wear its faded Smash Hits badge on it's sleeve. Lets hope The Research gain the airplay that this record deserves.
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