As the post-Madchester backlash gathers pace in the city that gave life to the Hacienda, Factory records and all the money grabbing that has since followed it, it seems that the rest of the world hasn’t quite tired of the sound. Whilst any band with an ounce of sense from Manchester give a wide berth to being ‘mad for it’, Parisians don’t have the same objections. Indeed, despite roots in Dijon before setting up in French capital, Shit Browne appear to be actively yearning for the sound that the rainy city made popular.

Indeed, the quintet are looking to court comparisons to The Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and the like, and throughout their debut album, Every Single Penny will be Reinvested in the Party, you can pretty much pinpoint which songs they’ve taken inspiration from. ‘New Colours’ could easily be a remix of ‘Rock and Roll Star’, with Liam’s boring, populist vocals being replaced by a rambling French man, ‘Betty’s Cake’ could be either ‘I am the resurrection’ or ‘Sally Cinnamon’, whilst the bongos and keyboard throughout ‘Don’t Ask’ could be from pretty much any Happy Mondays album track. There are entire sections of this album that sound like it could’ve be lifted from the 1992, which is bound to please the many thousands that still wish it was 1990.

But then, through the ecstasy inspired haze, there are moments of clarity and, indeed, brilliance. When Shit Browne take the time to be slightly less derivative, they show signs of being truly talented, rather than openly aping their baggy ancestors. Whilst it may not please Clint Boon or Peter Hook to hear, the sound of Manchester is no longer that of psychedelic inspired indie music, and the best parts of this longplayer show that it’s probably not the sound of Paris, either.

Of course, France has a wonderful recent history of great dance music, from Daft Punk through to Kitsuné Maison, and it’s when they stick to this heritage the band are at their best. ‘Electronics’ is repetitive without being bland, almost euphoric in its broken-English simplicity before lurching back to type. Elsewhere, opener ‘No Artifice’ is a lazy stroll, evoking the spirit of Tom Vek’s ‘On the Road’, whilst the vocals are constantly refreshing with their languid style.

It’s perhaps the signs of potential that ultimately define Every Penny… for the listener. It’s a record that can easily wash over you, largely due to the familiarity that one is likely to feel for the bridges and riffs that make up much of it’s 42 minutes. If the band had followed their hearts, this could easily have been one of the more interesting, inventive records of 2010. Unfortunately, the end product is one that largely sounds like a makeweight from 1988. And if the death of Factory records and the tearing down of the original Hacienda mean anything, it’s that the sound has certainly already had it’s day.