Straight out of Liverpool with the musical references to prove it, The Stands are wonderfully influenced by The Beatles but manage to avoid being derivative by opening their sound to wider influences.

Horse Fabulous is their second album; after their first received mixed reviews, Horse Fabulous has a lot to prove for this talked up band. Resorting to a harder, more electric sound, Horse Fabulous incorporates everything that made their debut great - Howie Payne's trademark voice, classic song writing, a healthy dose of nostalgia - and puts it through a fuzz machine. The result is a joyously raucous collection of pop songs.

Gone are the meandering howls, this album is guaranteed to make your feet tap. Liverpool's resurgence on the cultural map is much welcome in a time when a computerised frog can top the charts.