Any band who has the audacity to put themselves on the cover of their album all wrapped up in leopard print shirts and then pout like Jagger puckering up for a peck on the lips with some well placed 12" vinyl copies of essential uber-cool albums by the likes of Joan Jett, Iggy, Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers and the finest and the best Damned album just about pigeonholes these bad boys and said everything I needed to know about Bubblegum Screw (so far my only reservation is with 'that' name).

'Because He Loves You' is snotty, raw and lowdown 'n' dirty enough to grab the attention with its lo-fi four to the floor intro that had me thinking of the likes of the magnificent Soho Roses - a fine introduction this is too. Of the fourteen tracks on offer here there are some that are better than others (obviously), and some that don't particularly do a lot, but they all have a swagger and a certain energy. My pick of the bunch would be the opener 'Because He Loves You' and 'I Was A Teenage Fuck-Up', with its Johnny Thunders slop 'n' roll geetar solo, as the sparse song has elements of someone like the Cramps going on in this melting pot of a song; toe-tap-tastic it is too. 'Better Man', thankfully, isn't a cover of the Pearl Jam track; a barely in tune meander that is strangely endearing and alluring with its laidback verses and more uptempo chorus. The only thing I'm not convinced of is the sugar sweet girl backing vocals, it doesn't reflect the music and sounds out of place, but apart from that this is pretty decent stuff.

It's wholly unoriginal and they aren't ever going to get rich - as much as I'd love to see a band like this break through - but they have charm, panache and attitude and their wealth will be of the spiritual reward and not the fiscal one.....and that's the way it has generally been; getting paid, getting laid and getting their groove on is payment enough.

'Dirty Ho', 'Rich Bitch' and the excellent 'Keresene' would most certainly have the nod of approval off Stiv Bators, any of his Dead Boys and any of the dearly departed Ramones and that is the kudos and payola bands like Bubblegum Screw will get by the spade full and, on this evidence, it's something they deserve. Will keep a keen eye and ear out for these chaps because their sound is good as are many of the songs on offer. Good work me dears, good work!

www.myspace.com/bubblegumscrew