This, astonishingly, is the fourth album from NZ rockers The Datsuns. After the success of their self-titled debut in 2002, which saw them, in some rather excitable quarters, being heralded as "the future of rock", it seems to have been a law of diminishing returns for each subsequent release. Now freshly reinvigorated with a new drummer, and an anagram-tastic title (The Datsuns = Head Stunts: do you see?), this release seems to be something of a return to form.

The best bits of this album are where the band do what they always have done best: riff-heavy dumb fun rock-outs. Opening track ‘Human Error' (heralded by a screetch of dissonant guitar fuzz) is a straightforward rocker, as is ‘Yeah Yeah Just Another Mistake' (which the notes I made when listening through the album simply describe as "very Datsuns-y"!). Into this mix they add a bit of glam-rock (‘Cruel Cruel Fate', and ‘Your Bones' which has definite shades of the Glitter Band), some hamond organ riffs (to be found on the elaborately-titled ‘Hey! Paranoid People! (What's In Your Head?' and ‘Cruel Cruel Fate') and a whole heap of is-it-metal-or-is-it-garage-rock riffing.

Particularly enjoyable tracks include the Ramones style stomp of ‘High School Hoodlums', the aforementioned ‘Hey! Paranoid People!...' (which has something of the sound and appeal of ‘Harmonic Generator' from their first album) and ‘Yeah Yeah Just Another Mistake' - the track for the bedroom air-guitarists to strike their best rock poses to. ‘Eye Of The Needle' is a worthy attempt to aim for a different sound, I think. This is comparatively low-key and reflective, and borders a bit too much on AOR for my liking, but it builds well, and just about works in its position half way through the album. The other main digression from the template is closing track ‘Somebody Better', in which our heroes go all eastern and mystical on our asses, to overlong and rather tedious effect.

This isn't a band that you listen to primarily for lyrical enlightenment, but there are a few half-decent couplets thrown in: I liked "deathwish politics" and "tremble tremble tremble fearlessly" from ‘Human Error', "This papier-maché life you built is hollow to the core" from ‘Ready Steady Go!' and "delivering a queasy eulogy" from ‘Cry Crybaby'.

Not, then, an album to change your life or even to change your preconceptions of the band. One, nevertheless, to crank up loud, shout along to and enjoy when you need a bit less chin-stroking and a bit more straightforward rock fun in your musical life!
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