anklesandwrists

Those of us at a certain age will, no doubt, recall the sheer horror of the early 90's shoegazing scene. For those of you shaking your heads, this was a collection of aural sacks of shite going by names such as 'Chapterhouse' & 'Swervedriver', producing the kind of drivel that made life worth living again for legions of Smiths fans. It was a terrible time for us all and not one we want to repeat. For this reason, news of a new wave of shoegazing, known as 'nu-gaze' sent me scurrying to my bomb shelter (built when the Sex Pistols reformed, fact fans) with my Whitehouse records and a year's supply of Pot Noodles.

But what's this? I'll tell you what it is, friends - it's the best album of 2007 so far and it's by the frankly fucking amazing Asobi Seksu. 'Citrus' pisses all over it's nu-gaze tag amidst a maelstrom of heavy, exciting guitars, punctuated by Yuki Chikudate's reverbed vocals and kept together by a shit-hot rhythm section that I confidently predict Josh Homme will be nicking ideas from left, right and centre. It takes a lot to get this cynical old bastard excited these days, but this record of pure and beautiful pop music grabs my heart, rips it out, then smothers it in strawberry-scented kisses. Divine.