After a ripping highway to Hull tour, this Hull based freight train arrives comfortably at its destination to deliver a CD of tension releasing and free spirited indie punk to the masses. ‘First Comes First’ is an even tempo offering starting off with the breezily strident; ‘Some Old Girl’ that exposes urban life with the openness of Phillip Larkin. This song's guitar hooks, the provocatively throaty vocals of Tom Atkin and tours with Babyshambles and The Libs themselves, renders the obvious tag of being a Northern The Libertines tough to shake off. Would they want to anyway?
Catchy previous single; ‘Panic’ slides alongside contemporaries; The Rakes and The Others to give this end of the indie market some beef. The rebellious title track is the most rhythmic number on show that features a catchy and cruising guitar solo, to highlight the musical dexterity of the outfit, alongside the commanding vocal touch of Atkin adding to their compactness. ‘Loser’ bites back at name tags with snappy angst, possessing true punk spirit to give this offering a caustic edge.
The Paddingtons have produced a debut album with a beat, a passion and a simplicity that is both catchy and convincing, no wonder they have had Bez gyrating like a cobra to their sounds at some shows. Northern grit, determination and spirit oozes out of this outfit, making it hard not to stand up and take notice.
