We Love You Dark Matter

Notoriously cliquey and bitchy, the Irish music scene has long been dismissed as over-run with grey, identikit singer-songwriters fighting over who can best fawn over scene-leader Glen Hansard, thereby paving the way to greater success. To be fair, a greater number of bands have tried to break this mould in recent years, but with generally dreadful results. The movement headed up by Humanzi and The Things launched an even cliquier bunch, all of whom seem doomed to forever play their unlistenable, ear-punishing racket to each other as support acts to medium-sized indie bands in Whelans. Even those with more ambition have come a cropper: Director and The Thrills had major label backing and eyes on targets beyond being heroes in their hometown, but were thwarted by a serious lack of talent and individuality. Two thirds of Fight Like Apes' debut notwithstanding, it's hard to think of any bright, young Irish band in recent times that has been, well, any good

Step forward Dark Room Notes, straight out of Galway (via Dublin) with a pristine electro-pop sound and praise from the usual cheerleaders in the Irish music press. It brings no great pleasure to report that their debut album, We Love You Dark Matter cannot be recommended. They've tried so hard to be edgy and cool it hurts. The word 'dark' appears in both their band name and the album title. They've worked so hard trying to get their synth-based sound 'just so' that they've forgotten to include a single memorable tune on the record. The songs are overly polished and devoid of character, while the lyrics verge on the embarrassing. Worse still, singer Ronan Gaughan insists on delivering his weak and mannered vocals in the style of Mark E Smith - whoever thought this was an appropriate way for people from Galway to behave

Dark Room Notes have clearly spent time listening to all the right records - Joy Division, New Order, The Cure, Interpol - but they just haven't been able to create something of their own that's in any way comparable. Interpol weren't heralded as a great band because of the pseudy lyrics and thousand yard stares - it was the killer hooks, dammit. Dark Room Notes just don't got the killer hooks.