We Start Fires - Caught Red Handed (11 tracks/Head Girl) By Steve Rudd Album release date: September 13th 2004.

Proudly keeping the DIY punk spirit alive, Darlington quartet We Start Fires (in which female members outnumber the male contingency three to one) aren't ones to wait around for a record company exec to get out his chequebook. They believe in their music to such an extent (which they should do, because it is brilliant) that they've booked their own tour and recorded their own album in the front room of band member Becky Stefani: the supremely talented singer, guitarist and chief songwriter.. who, given such talents, could quite conceivably be related to No Doubt's Gwen - although I doubt that she is!

They had previously worked in a studio for their How To Be A Lady EP and come out with a highly polished release, but a number of reasons made them head into her front room for the recording of this, their 11-song-strong debut album. One reason was that studio time costs a relative fortune, and they aren't that rich. But hell, in having recorded such a high-class album on their own backs and on the cheap, the feisty We Start Fires clan has proved to one and all that thousands of pounds really don't need to be wasted on studio recording time, because the quality of recording on this release has turned out that well. The majority of the tunes are daubed deliciously with punk rock 'n' roll relish that's glamourised by succulent swirls of keyboard melodies from Melissa Marx. As they admit themselves, We're sick of boring indie bands - we want thrills and sexiness and attitude. And that's exactly what this album delivers, with the opening track in Bang Bang setting their stall in the most exhilarating of manners as their awesomely original sound attacks the senses. Keyboard babe Melissa plays, to exciting degrees, in the style of The Stranglers organ-grinder Dave Greenfield, while solitary man of the moment Ashley keeps time with a coolly lashing drum beat. Hey Now reigns as harmony-heaven, proving that the quality of these songs are most certainly on a par with the pop-pouting musical exuberance of Liverpool Goth-pop band Zombina & The Skeletones.

Queen Bee, meanwhile, begins as a moody instrumental of grandeur, before the heavy guitars of the title track in Caught Redhanded and the well-harnessed angst of When You Fall and Blackout's shouting provide other stand-out moments from a bold and beautiful album that deserves to get these girls - and Ashley - away from the dust and dirt of Darlington for good.

Priming their music with head-turning punk attitude is one thing for many bands, but the main component that really stands out here is the hard fact that all four band members of the Barbie-bashing and Sindy-smashing We Start Fires can really play their respective instruments, and the way the album has been mixed allows time and space for all such talents to genuinely shine.

Becky's guitar grinds a treat while her lead vocals both growl and break your heart, Melissa's keyboard-based melodies underpin the guitar hooks perfectly, Ashley Wade's drums are smacked a treat and Nikki Vaughan's bass grooves cut their own distinctive path through the rest of the noisy hustle and bustle.

Given their collective enthusiasm and deep-rooted passion to rock out hard and fast and here and now, it seems that the commendable We Start Fires spirit will positively smoulder until the right record deal comes their way.. and then some. 5/5 Website www.westartfires.co.uk E-mail westartfireshq@ntlworld.com We Start Fires Reviews on thisisUll.com: La Femme Feste - Under the Influence at The Adelphi Saturday 29th May 04 By Neil Jacklin Live and Under the Influence - 31st January 2004 By Cilla

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