Opening track 'Hanging On A Wire' starts with a poignant bit of guitar vibrato that builds up to a cacophony and then goes quiet again. Hence the Pixies comparison. Lead vocalist Sandira's singing raises them above a mere simulacrum of that lauded band.

'Double Headed Hunting Arrows' features some spirited vocal work from Sandira over some dirty guitar licks. But the strength of her voice prevents it descending into histrionics -- more like Karen O than Bjork. Closer 'Bella Donna' manages to pull off the trick of sounding introspective and pacy at the same time.

It would be interesting to hear more tracks from Sandira to see just how much range they have. But judging by this selection, there's something about them that's worth investigating further.

Having made electronic dance music in the past, this new album takes Dave into more folksy and folky territory. 'Badly Drawn Batman' sneered the review in Sugar Ape, sorry, Vice magazine. Warm hearted electronic folk funk is how the Mullah would put it.

Intro track Meet Me In The Summertime does what it says on the tin -- jazzy and dreamy with a breathy vocal and guitar culled from a 1950's French film score. Ironside invokes the eponymous detective as an icon of truth as Dave lets us know he wants to do the right thing over a loungecore backdrop. The rest of the album is permeated with wit, humour, compassion, and a sense of what life should really be like.

As a bonus, the album comes with two corking remixes from fellow Mancs A Certain Ratio and Homelife. If you like your music to have some heart and the brains to match, this album is for you.

Gertrude
Fetch The Parrot Blanket
Urban Missfits

The Mullah does like Gertrude a lot. Which makes it all the more difficult to write this review. Now don't get me wrong. I think the songs on the album are great. The music is awesome, especially as I've seen them perform a lot of this material live and have that to compare. It's the production that lets the whole enterprise down.

The album starts off with an elegant cello solo and all is good. Then the first track proper kicks in and it sounds like someone has put the hi-hat through some unearthly effect that grates.

Overall it makes the opening track sound like a home recording. This may be partly explained by the fact that part of the album was recorded in a squatted 'social centre'. As the album progresses, things pick up slightly but overall the production is not what it could be.

Crash cymbals are at the top of the mix whilst guitar solos languish in the background. At one point, the Mullah swears he can hear the ghost of legendary record producer Martin Hannett rattling chains and moaning. Just as you think things are getting better, that bloody hi-hat comes out of nowhere again and dominates proceedings.

Upon examining the liner notes, the Mullah notes that this album was self-produced. This is totally in keeping with Gertrude's DIY punk ethos. Having a producer calling the shots is completely the opposite of collective decision making. The Mullah can't help but wonder if principles are obscuring the music.

Gertrude are undoubtedly one of the best live bands that the Mullah has ever seen. It's just a shame that they can't quite get that magic down on record. Go and see them live instead,

Opening track Fooling Around switches tempo and style with effortless ease -- not unlike the Cardiacs. It's a collage of piano stabs, guitars that alternate between grunge and jazz, male vocals that go from rasped to harmonic and a female vocal filtered through pools of shimmering reverb.

While it may be surreal sounding on the surface, but vocals like "When we set out to make a movie about the guy next door / We didn't know that he was making a show for us to see" provide a menacing counterpoint.

Simple is anything but. Starting slowly and building to an epic crescendo, it evokes some of the melancholy of Radiohead without the whining of Thom Yorke to spoil proceedings. Truly anthemic.

Sweat is a slowly fizzing firework of a ballad. Jangly guitar and a summery sounding female vocal segue into a swell of harmonies and it ends up exploding with a bang.

Mesmerized starts off sounding like a performance from the North Sea Jazz Festival, with smooth-sounding piano and guitars topped with a laconic male vocal. Just as you're getting comfortable, the tempo gets ratcheted up before breaking down to jazz-rock.

Or should I say artrock? For sheer musicianship, this has to be one of the best debuts I've ever heard.