Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts

Rating:

* * *

Part party, part punk with a generous splash of soul, London trio Noisettes' sophomore album is an interesting and eclectic mix of sounds that offers a little something for everyone.

The smooth, seductive vocals of frontwoman Shingai Shoniwa lend themselves perfectly to the retro flavour of the record, complete with sweeping disco flourishes and "sha la la" choruses.

But though the band are to be commended for their diversity, the record doesn't meld as well as it should. Instead, it lurches from the sweet lullaby of opening track

Sometimes

, to the booming party track

Don't Upset the Rhythm (Go Baby Go)

and again from the classic soul of

Every Now and Then

(which pits Shoniwa as a frontrunner for Winehouse's cracked vocal crown ...) to the pulsing punk rhythm of

Beat of My Heart

.

Depending on your personal music tastes, you will find different moments of splendour on this album but

Never Forget You

is a clear standout with its fantastic and unique mash-up of 60s Supremes' harmonies, distorted guitars and gorgeous string arrangements.

While Noisettes are equally capable of slowing things down or speeding them up, the order in which they do so is problematic. If you're in the mood for a sultry soul number, you probably don't want to be confronted by the subsequent punk party track, and vice versa.

Joanna Hunkin