Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 22/10/07
Label: Mercury

Orson, the Hollywood pop-rock underdogs, who having failed to get any attention back home signed to a UK label and went straight to Number One with the single "No Tomorrow", are at something of a critical point in their career. That "Bright Idea", their good-time debut album followed "No Tomorrow" to the top of the charts confirms they were more than one hit wonders, but it's only with the release of second album, "Culture Vultures", that they get to see if Britain's love of their excitable LA romp is the basis of a long-term relationship or if it was just a brief fling.

With comeback single, "Ain't No Party", hardly setting the charts alight, it's not looking too promising. Arguably it's not the best choice for a big comeback and is certainly not the new "No Tomorrow" and maybe the onset of a bleak British winter isn't the best time to be rolling in with jaunty LA sunshine. What is for sure though is that while there are stronger singles to be had on the album, few would sum-up "Culture Vultures" so perfectly.

The '70s disco shimmy of "Ain't No Party" - think a sunnier take on The Rolling Stones' "Miss You" - like the shouty new wave punk of "Radio" - think The Police at their most pop - and "The Contortionist" with its "Rock The Casbah" overtones, defines the album as a fun collection of retro-rock pastiches. As if Orson are doing their very own version of a brief history of music and at the moment they're taking care of the late '70s and '80s, with "Little Miss Lost & Found" single-handedly fulfilling the Rob Stewart/Beach Boys quota.

Which is all well and good while "Culture Vultures" keeps the big choruses, like the good times, coming. Given that Orson will never rate as cool or stylish or worthy, they live and die by their ability to turn out songs which demand to be sung along to and at times, specifically "Northern Girl" and "Debbie's Gone", they're just too lightweight for their own good. Take away the killer tunes and all that's left is a hyperactive, likeable cruise ship band.

Thankfully though they pull it back for the end and get the last laugh. "Everybody" comes with a hook that's the definition of catchy, while their suitably slinky rebuke to style snobs who "only want to be around the million pound indie sound" and "even hate Johnny Depp" is as addictive piece of dance-rock sleaze as you're likely to find this year.

    by Dan Gennoe