Northampton trio The Mobbs attack sixties garage in an enthusiastically British way. Sure the influence of the Nuggets pack isn't too far away, but there's no mid-Atlantic drawl and no references to retro US culture. Instead 'It's The Mobbs' celebrates the beat explosion in their homeland, chucking in the odd dose of surf, blues and proto-punk from overseas to liven up the formula. They take the power and sharpness of the early mod movement as well as the late 70s revivalists. So if we throw around names like The Who, The Jam, The Kinks and er, Jilted John, you'll begin to build up an image of what they're about.
This debut album is quick-fire and fun, packing in an explosion of crisp riffs, energetic beats with minimal production and, importantly, not taking itself too seriously. Aside from bluesy diversions such as 'Better The Devil You Know' and 'The N-Town Odd Shoe Blues' they barely pause for breath. 'Gad... It's The Mobbs' and 'Little Miss Twisted Gut' are a good old fashioned hoot, and 'No Belief' and 'Ghastly Business' are in possession of some great dirty riffs. The only barrier they're likely to break is the one in front of the stage as they whip up a frenzied crowd, but innovation isn't in the game plan.
The sense you get from this record is that The Mobbs are in this purely for the fun and the love of getting out some guitars and rattling through a set of primal rock 'n' roll tunes, not to try and spark intellectual debate and lace songs with hidden meanings like, say, Radiohead. Pilfered and unoriginal yes, but enjoyable and carried out with an undeniable energy, vigour and spirit that makes them difficult not to like. 'It's The Mobbs' is about having a good time and escaping, and on that level it's a roaring success.
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