Showstar

"Showstar are an NME band - a post-Libertines mixture of jaunty, lazy juvenility. They are at their most pleasing when harsh guitars combine with upbeat keys to propel their impressive melodies. In these days when rehab counts for more than reverb, Showstar should be stars. The only reason they have not yet been tossed onto the cover of said weekly publication is their passports. Instead of dropping into the ocean of UK bands such as Maximo Park, Rakes, Futureheads, Kaisers, and Arctics; Showstar pop up in Belgium of all places!
I initially thought this album was self-titled, but I now understand it to be called (literally pronounced "dot") On , the francophone Showstar deliver each of their ten short songs in the English language. You have to admire writers operating outside their mother tongue and for Showstar in particular it amounts to something of a gamble. In terms of ambition, it proves that the band recognize that their ultimate destination should be cross-channel. Yet it does risk alienating a percentage of Showstar's potential Belgian market as well as harming their chances of breaking in France, which is a fairly big deal for bands in their position. Kudos then for this decision!
If they're serious about being the stars of the latest UK show, then they ought to take some drugs and get photographed falling over in the street with some young model. I probably can't help them. However if, as I'd hope, they want to follow The Boo Radleys ambitious pop template, the next steps they take must be giant."

Brett Spaceman - Evilsponge.org