Gentlemen's Club  ISH Records * * *

Fountains of Wayne meets The Fratellis, with a side helping of Saw Doctors? Sounds nightmarish to some, perhaps, but The Dead Flags manage to pull the concoction off with no little aplomb.

The Sligo band’s aspirations to craft an album that “doesn’t let up” isn’t exactly accurate, though: the sludgy

How Long?

disrupts the momentum created by songs such as the quirky

I Can’t Be Held Responsible

and the bawdy rock’n’roller

Cheating on You

. Their lyrical content is another stumbling block – most of these songs are one-dimensional paeans about falling in love, sex, and falling out of love. Yet most shortcomings are largely recompensed by super-catchy choruses and a generous helping of lightheartedness. An erratic debut, certainly, but there’s no need to wave the white flag, either. myspace.com/thedeadflags

Download tracks: I Can't Be Held Responsible, Cheating on You