Gay Blades offer catchy, rockin' pop-rock which incorporates Hot Hot Heat's infectious rhythms and Kasabian's stadium-sized swagger. The opening trinity of tracks are enjoyable , tongue-in-cheek rockers with a hint of emo-rock woven in. The spiralling 'oh oh ohs' of 'NHDN' are lifted straight from 'Bandages'.
Sadly, however, the strength of these openers is not continued. 'Dog Day Afternoon' is sadly slower and dully plods, 'Why Can't I Grow A Beard' is an insubstantial, acoustic inclusion which recalls such lightweigts as the Kooks or the View. The less said about the lounge jazz of 'Prologue For The Pure Of Heart' the better.
'Ghosts' closes with two dance remixes which make or break the experience. They're not to my taste and would have been better left as B-Side remix options, but others may disagree. What 'Ghosts' does commendably possess, almost throughout, however, is a sense of fun. It is not parody nor willfully comic like, say, Tenacious D's cringeworthy output, rather, and simply, produced by two fellows having a good time. It's a pity then that these blades' fruit isn't always as sharp as they think it is.
