14 December 2000

This week I will be mostly listening to... My Friend Irma, Tom Bunning & Mr Late (Tallow Music) Review by JOHN CLARE TOWARDS the end of this album, I expected some Dutch guy to come in with a bottle of Grolsch and say: "Guys, guys this album is not ready yet." He didn't, but the feeling remains My Friend Irma's debut could have been better a few months down the line. There are lots of really good tracks here, like 'No Good For Anything','Loony Tunes' and 'New Zoo', which sounds like, well, how many acts can you compare one band to? There's plenty of Wonder Stuff in there for a start, a smattering of Levellers, and what's that in the background? Ah yes. Cud, anyone? There's even a lost Beth Orton track hiding in the moody 'Journey Song.' It's feelgood music: upbeat, folksy rock with witty lyrics and catchy tunes. You like the band straight away. Listen to how comfortable they are with their instruments and with each other. So it's a shame to take the edge off with songs like 'Oh! Sarah' (Student band!, Student band!), or 'Get Outta My Head', which had me thinking of Simple Minds at one point, which is never a good thing. Still, like the lady sings at one point: "I haven't reached my potential yet." It bodes well for the future though. Cambridge's finest and one to watch.