The Concretes - Seems Fine (single/ EMI) By Steve Rudd

If you want to feel refreshed and plain good about life, then it's imperative that Stockholm outfit The Concretes are checked out ASAP. Laying claim to almost as many band members as The Polyphonic Spree, there are eight of them, coolly fronted by sultry vocalist Victoria Bergsman. Their eponymous album is now out, and this two-track single release is the perfect way to saturate your appetite as Seems Fine is an upbeat, quirky and gloriously retro sounding anthem.

Unadulterated indie-pop is the order of their day, incorporating sunny shards of 60's Soul music as they go. Rest assured, all eight band members have their own part to play, and The Concretes' music genuinely benefits from so many members, with two such members playing horns. Seems Fine far from being a mess, is a masterpiece - and backed by b-side Just Locals, a similarly mid-paced, angst-devoid and utterly charming tune originally recorded by The Bear Quartet. Victoria is often heard sounding like Cerys Matthews and the music in general does strike chords and vibes similar to some of Catatonia's and Brand Violet's work, should more familiar reference points be necessary. And a guarantee of quality sounds to come as standard. In fact, it's set in stone. 9/10 www.theconcretes.com

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