This one might prove a bit controversial, in terms of obscurity. After all, less than five years ago Monster was a big radio hit and The Automatic were well in favour with the likes of NME and Radio 1. Since then, however, it's hard to avoid the conclusion that the band have begun a steeply angled dive into obscurity. Having been dropped by their major label backers the band have released two more albums, sadly to increasing indifference. It's a damned shame, when the names of talent-lite underachievers are being shouted from the rafters. Particularly when Not Accepted Anywhere was arguably one of the best debut indie albums of the Noughties.
Monster is of course the catchiest song, but throughout we discover a fine selection of smartly barbed indie pop tunes with a sly sense of humour. Also, I actually liked Alex Pennie's atonal screeching underpinning the lead vocals of Robin Hawkins, although not everyone felt the same. (In any case, Pennie was gone by the second album.) And what's not to like about a band that gives you a comic on the cd inlay instead of boring crap like lyrics and sleeve notes??
In summary - The Automatic are as surely destined for the "successful first album and critical acclaim followed by utter obscurity" route that Mansun pursued in the Nineties. But their obscurity is every bit as unjust and ill-deserved as the other bands on this blog.
Do yourself a favour and pick yourself up a copy of Not Accepted Anywhere. You won't regret it. My copy cost £1 because it was ex-library stock, but had I known it was going to be brilliant I would happily have paid more. Sorry about that, lads!!
What's that coming over the hill...?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Automatic
http://theautomatic.co.uk/
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