Sheffield has the Arctic Monkeys, and Leeds the Kaiser Chiefs. Now Liverpool has its own premier league indie, post punk new wave revival band. Come on down The Wombats, a Scouse trio (if you include drummer Tord Øverland-Knudsen, a Norwegian who has adopted the city as his hometown).

With Matthew Murphy providing vocals, guitar and keyboards, and Dan Haggis on drums the band serve up an acerbic mix of pop, rock, tounge in cheek lyrics and massive hooks.

Eagerly awaited by fans, the album is a collection of thirteen irrestibly catch songs produced by Stephen Harris (Kaiser Chiefs) and mixed by Rich Costey (Muse, Franz Ferdinand). So you get the drift - this is music that is fun, danceable and dark, delivered with tounges firmly in cheeks.

The band have already amassed a cult following and were the first unsigned band to sell out the 1200 capacity Liverpool Academy. But that's gardly a surprise with their witty music that you can to dance to, laugh with, and sing-a-long to. As fun as a massive bag of sweets. Even Macca is a fan, but then the band was born at his very own Liverpool Institute Of Performing Arts.

****

Review by Pete Whalley