Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2010
© City Rockers/Pure Groove/Sony
They may have been late to the dance-punk party, but Leeds quartet The Sunshine Underground didn’t waste any time impressing Japanese fans. They followed up their 2006 debut, Raise The Alarm, in rapid succession with an appearance at the British Anthems showcase, a solo tour and then the 2007 Summer Sonic festival. If, as seems likely judging by its effortlessly catchy tunes, Nobody’s Coming To Save You does as well, they are safe bets for a 2010 visit. Produced by Barny (Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian), the album bursts with wiry post-punk guitar lines, driving New Rave rhythms and funky, slashing bass grooves. This is all fairly standard material, but SU manage for the most part to rise above clichés, and on songs like the irresistible “We’ve Always Been Friends” deliver some undeniably infectious, well-informed pop. The importance of the Japanese market is underlined by the fact that the last five songs are Japan-only bonus tracks.
