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London garage rockers deliver exciting debut single

The first single from London alt-rockers Katalina Kicks is a hook-laden delight with a confidence and direction seldom found together in a debut. “145” has the attitude and swagger to make it in the testosterone fuelled world of garage-rock bands, but manages to stray from some of the more idiotic and bland tendencies of the genre. Lending from the The Hives, Jimmy Eat World, The Enemy and especially fellow London favourites, Dogs, the four-piece still manage to create an original song, with flashes of flair invention and personality.

Propelled along by a tight bassline the boys from the capital lead from energetic punk verses to a much more poppy melodic chorus and back, all with a beating political heart; Katalina Kicks do well not to let their anti-establishment sentiment become the shallow charade that other bands have. The chorus ends with a startlingly relevant, but equally down to earth, line of “Don’t tell me what you want, tell me what you got” in these times of rampant electioneering. Also deserving of special mention is their reference to Harold Macmillan’s famous “You’ve [/ Britain has] never had it so good” speech. Not just full of substance and charisma, Katalina Kicks deliver one of the best guitar solos likely to be found on record this year. Clearly they have the intelligence and relevance to write a song with an actual purpose but the pop sensibility and rock capability to make a damn catchy song at that. A lethal and exciting combination, I can see them having more than one last.fm listener, very, very soon.