Regular Fries

Combining the drive of guitar rock and the rhythm of dance music into a cohesive whole is a task that too many bands have tried and failed to accomplish. With their full-length debut, England's Regular Fries have created a psychedelic melting pot of an album that successfully bridges the gap between these two genres in a way that should please both rockers and ravers. Littered with breakbeats over live drums and space guitars over low-end grooves, Accept the Signal works best when the Fries exhibit their rock roots. "Dust It" is a quintessential Fries track with its catchy bassline, squealing guitars, and Dave Brothwell's signature hushed singing. "Are you a figment of my imagination, or am I one of yours," Brothwell poses before the song's climactic howl. The Fries have a sense of humor, too, as they follow "Dust It" with the catchy hook of "King Kong," an ode to the famous primate featuring the mantra, "Better be a monkey if you like King Kong." The rest of the album is split similarly between ethereal blissed-out numbers (like "Dream Lottery" and "Anno Domini #1") and beat-driven rockers (like "Can't Face the Animals" and the cleverly titled "Swimming in Someone Else's Pool"). The only real misstep is "The Pink Room," a noisy rock song that plods along without really going anywhere. Although not the most consistent album, Accept the Signal is still a promising and ambitious debut from an adventurous band with a truly unique sound. ~ Lee Meyer, All Music Guide