KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * * * *
Label: Wall of Sound/Liberator Music
Verdict: Debut of dance rock from Arctic Monkey's musical mate
The Reverend (real name Jon McClure) is mates with Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys. He's said to have helped inspire many of the Monkeys' early songs and Turner appears on two tracks here, including lending a dulcet guitar to spacey ballad, Sex With the Ex.
Both bands write the same catchy, rant-based tunes, and have a similar danceability. However, while the Arctics' big rousing choruses are launched with breakneck guitars, the Rev tends towards the oonst and swing of dance beats.
The State of Things will remind you of some of Britain's best dance-cum-rock bands from the past 20 years. There's the Shamen-like oonst; slack Happy Mondays strut; at times it's as "Madchester" as the Charlatans; and Sundown On the Empire, which makes handy use of a recorder, has the same lope as the Stone Roses. On tracks like Heavyweight Champion of the World and Open Your Window the Makers' beats will inspire a bulletproof swagger - not surprising as the Rev is an opinionated punk poet - but at other times, like on the strobing trance bleeps of 18-30, you'll be blushing with embarrassment because your arse won't stop shaking. Listen to the Reverend's gospel and dance while you're at it.
