VOXTROT Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives (Playlouderrecordings)
Not that youd guess from their music a kind of perky hybrid of Belle And Sebastian and The Smiths or their lyrics, which include such ticklish lines as We had The Field Mice playing on the hi-fi but Voxtrot are actually from Texas. Ahead of their eponymous full-length debut, due any day now, this five track EP from 2006 makes as good an introduction to them as any. The title track and Fast Asleep slam hectically and gloriously downhill on waves of Johnny Marr jangle, and lyrics like I believe in love/Im married to my work and Baby, Id leave you for the person you used to be seem cloned from Stuart Murdochs DNA. Maybe theres even a touch of Dexys Midnight Runners soul drama to Soft & Warm, which rounds out a fine primer.