Another splendid album which appears to stem from the tradition of The Flaming Lips, Dark Side Of The Cop have created their own interpretation of the American dream. Self-produced and independently released, this Vermont trio work to an understandably lower budget but use it to their advantage, adding a real sense of intimacy to their mysterious melodies. Across thirteen tracks, a tale is told of a man pursuing a woman he knew from childhood; the record playing out like a road trip with occasional macho statements ("We'll put the bitch in overdrive") balanced by heartfelt harmonies and a sense of helplessness. Many of these songs ('Fool In The Hills', 'Stuck In The Darkness' and 'Little Things' especially) pack an emotional and tuneful punch and along the way, the warm ballad 'Don't Be Jealous' suggests a meeting between The Commodores and The Beach Boys. With part two of this concept album due later in the year, it will be fascinating to see how they develop the music as well as the storyline.