
A cynic might suggest that Lemon Jelly's recent concert exclusively for young children sums up their whole enterprise i.e. childish rather than child-like. It hardly goes without saying that their music has a nursery rhyme-like quality to it but can they be taken seriously? The new album suggests "yes"; it is a bold record which sees the duo of Nick Franglen and Fred Deakin restrict themselves to using one sample per track. Those samples, typically, range from the obscure to the naff with Gallacher/Lyle and William Shatner being the most recognisable names used. Naturally, by using one sample there is often only one hook and with some of these tracks regularly stretching beyond the five-minute mark, the sub-Air easy listening of 'Only Time', for example, suggests the idea is flawed. Thankfully Lemon Jelly hit more times than they miss. 'Don't Stop Now' and 'A Man Like Me' are repetitive but insidious, the uplifting disco/soul hybrid 'Stay With You' is another winner but the pick of the bunch is 'The Shouty Track' which is possibly the world's first brilliant heavy metal instrumental. Taken as a whole, it's not quite as exciting as the Avalanches' debut but there's definite evidence that Deakin/Franglen are no mere novelty act.