Herald Rating: * *
When these Aussie twins broke into the pop scene with 4Ever, last year's lipstick punk anthem, it wasn't guaranteed their zappy brand of pop would find them an audience in the future.
Hook Me Up finds them back as feisty and forceful as ever,
but the title speaks volumes. This time they've moved away from the vaguely punk harmonies of The Secret Life Of ... and aimed for an 80s electro-pop sound. The caffeine-fuelled This is How it Feels and This Love are bolder than a Supre T-shirt, the lyrical themes no more difficult to grasp than breaking up with boys or dancing all night but overall, the album lacks the instant gratification of its predecessor.
That's a shame because these girls are made for high-octane, bubblegum pop, their vocals a striking blend of squeaky clean and icy cool - performance-wise, they're emotionally convincing, particularly on the break-up songs.
But their producers let them down with try-hard songs like Popular and strange, bottom-heavy arrangements on tracks like Untouched, which have the hooks but come off sounding tinny and unfinished. The Veronicas call for epic soundscapes but most of these studio creations sound bleak and lacking personality.
Bring back the (faux) punks.
Label: Sire
Verdict: Disappointing follow-up from the two Ronnies
