Seemingly hot off the conveyor belt, it would be easy to view SPECIAL NEEDS as the latest in an apparently self-cloning line of urchin rockers from Alan McGee's Poptones imprint, which - lest we forget - has already seen the likes of The Others, The Paddingtons and Thee Unstrung gob their way into the marketplace.
However - at least on the strength of new single "Blue Skies" - that cynicism might backfire. Because, while Special Needs' scuzzed-up beat group pop ain't a milion miles from the regulation indie affair, it's still surprisingly sussed and considerably less formulaic than the likes of the latest column inch grabbers such as The Paddingtons and Cazals. Not to mention a cut above the preposterous "Francesca" that dubiously graced the "And The Cassette Played Poptones" label comp recently.
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Produced in disciplined fashion by Ian Grimble (The Fall, Tindersticks, Funeral For A Friend etc), "Blue Skies" is heavily lovelorn, downright infectious slice of daffily brilliant pop that goes down a treat. Besides, that "To the left! To the right!" is guaranteed to hook in the grumpiest among us. Even after a heavy night on the Caffrey's it's got me smiling before mid-day and that's saying something, believe me.
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