ANTENNA Come On Spring (Mushroom)

ANTENNA Installation (Mushroom)

Antenna are what the press release refers to as 'a more diverse proposition than the usual super group side project', which rather over-emphasises the global impact of bands such as Hoodoo Gurus, Surrealists and Scientists, from whom this Australian quartet draw their membership. "Come On Spring" is their first single, and it's surprisingly impressive. Imagine if The Go-Betweens went trip-hop - unlikely, I know - and you'll probably end up within spitting distance of this shuffly, slightly precious gem, littered with cutesy French vocals.

"Installation" is the album, on which the undoubted good works of "Come On Spring" are negated by the other ten tracks, which claim to range from pop to dub to acid house but more closely resemble an ill-matched jumble sale ensemble of styles, all dragged down by lyrical gravitas that the melodies seldom merit (the opening of "Primitive Culture" being a particularly cringeworthy example). "Come On Spring" amply demonstrates that Antenna can do lush pop music in their sleep; "Installation" leaves you wishing that they'd do it more often.