Kitsch indie is back in…it’s official, whether it be the beat girl inspired Pipettes, or the flirtation with retro dance that is ‘The Go Team. Cute legions of chanting girl singers having vocal disputes with cute indie boys to the tune of fuzzy lo-fi guitars.

The Chalets are no exception but amazingly they’re far more musically competent than just kids with a P.A system and guitars. As their influences suggest, they’ve looked beyond the last five years, sighting the U.S alternative rock scene as a career pointer. Bands such as The Breeders, Blake Babies and Veruca Salt’s more delicate moments are all visible here, whilst also incorporating the late 70’s surf punk pop of early B52’s. It’s all cemented by a thick blob of disjointed guitar riffs that are 2005’s trademark of course, but the strength of songwriting is undeniable.

Tracks such as ‘Feel The Machine’, ‘Nightrocker’ and ‘Sexy Mistake’, are all credible pop singles that could easily become hits given the chance. The lyrics remain intelligent and often funny, describing one night stands, boring boyfriends and the overriding theme of  er….day to day Airport maintenance that makes Check out a quirky but a highly listenable album, which isn’t nearly as disposable as you may think.

8/10  

James Heward