Singles

Allegro - City Lights

Anthony Page 30/09/2009

Rating: 0/5

Contrary to popular belief I don't enjoy slagging off bands. I'd love it if every review I wrote were able to praise another great new band but sadly not every CD I get is worthy of such praise. Allegro are sadly one of those bands unworthy of any praise, they might be a lovely bunch of lads, great to have a drink with and kind to their mothers but nothing can forgive the dull, cliched and uninspired music offered here.

Bands like Allegro are one of the reasons why I won't lose any sleep over Oasis's split. Maybe with them gone there will be a lot less bands offering up below par impersonations of Oasis's jaded pub rock. Here, lead single City Lights sounds like The Enemy's dull thumping, supposedly anthemic, rock, with a lead singer who would do a fine Liam Gallagher on 'Stars in Their Eyes', but has no identity of his own. The chorus declares that Allegro will 'Steal your City Lights', supposedly through their rock bravado, but in reality it's something that will only happen if they end up working for the local council and have to take your city lights down in the latest budget cuts.

The first of the two B-sides, Won't You See is the best of a very bad bunch, but will only be worthwhile if you really need to hear a second rate version of those acoustic B-sides Oasis have hidden away in their locker. Drunk with your Stella'd up mates on a lads night out it might make a touching laddy sing along, but in the sober light of day it lacks the heart and meaning of the Oasis songs it rips off. Third single Hola Senorita is without doubt the worst thing I have heard in a very long time. I hope they didn't pay whoever produced this song, if they did they should phone Watchdog. The guitars are so low in the mix it sounds like they've recorded a Libertines tribute band whose guitars were leaking through the next studio wall, with the added pleasure of the lead singer retelling a story of how he got off with a sexy senorita. Even if Steve Albini had produced it, it still would be an awful, cliched Libertines rip off, with a dull, boorish bloke boasting about his latest sexual conquest. This was so much fun it caused me physical pain to listen to.

Allegro might be great lads, I'm sure they are, but a great band they are not, there is nothing to recommend this dull pointless single to anyone, not even your worst enemy. Apparently they are continually gigging around Hoxton, with the 'Fasionistas', as much as the 'Fasionista' culture is one of the key things that's wrong with the modern guitar scene, even they don't deserve to be subjected to Allegro.