I love great album covers and this one's a corker. It looks like a still straight out of a Michel Gondry or Spike Jones movie. So, I might be forgiven for expecting that I'm going to be in for something out of the ordinary here.

It's fair to say that this album provides quite a unique listening experience. It's not quite instrumental and it's not quite a vocal album either. The first track ends off as the third track begins with a vocal layering that at the same time sounds like Fleetwood Mac and Trevor Rabin. There's a lot of happy tribal clapping going on. The music is fast-paced and is as upbeat as any Weezer song.

'Life Coach' continues on this theme with a Lindsey Buckingham/Joey Ramone chopped and bouncy melody. It's totally bonkers stuff. And with me being a card short of a full-house I'm loving it too.

'Sideswiper' is as much Zappa as it is Rush but, of course, it's neither. I get totally euphoric when I hear a band that isn't trying to sound like anyone else. A band that are playing for themselves if you will. Damn the torpedoes and all that jazz. If it weren't for bands like Fang Island then music would just stand still and stagnate instead of innovate.

If you need further proof of the eccentricity of this album you only have to look at the personnel, which consists of three guitarists, a bassist and a drummer all of whom are credited as vocalists. Now I know what you might be thinking...The Polyphonic Spree - but wait just one goddamn minute - I'll tell you now that there's none of that disturbing quasi-religious hope and glory stuff here. Sure it's uplifting at times but it's also good clean chant-along fun much the same as you'd get at a Rocket From The Crypt concert (may they rest in peace).

What I like about Fang Island is that they turn a disadvantage into an advantage. You see I can't particularly tell when one song has ended and another has begun. This could end up with the music sounding like a homogenised unmemorable mess but it's Fang Island's epic musical vision that is their saving grace. Instead of me thinking: "What the hell was that all about?" I'm looking forward to playing the album again and again taking my time to unravel, enjoy and re-experience this unique happening all over again.

Well, Rod Stewart said it best when he sang 'Every Picture Tells A Story' and this one is quite a story - it's a veritable screenplay. And as for that other saying 'Never judge a book by its cover' well, sometimes first impressions are the right impressions. Go with your gut and give this crazy disc a spin.

http://fangisland.com/

http://www.myspace.com/fangisland

http://www.sargenthouse.com/