One Night Only

Far be it from us to patronise the young, but when your singer started in your band at 12, your nearest big city is York and you’re being played by Steve Lamacq before you’re old enough to drink, you have to wonder whether you’ve enough life experience. Thankfully, One Night Only have the sense to write about what they know. Trouble is, on too many tracks, especially ‘It’s Alright’, there’s a striving for the transcendent, tacked oddly on to the sort of everyday teenage drama that Arctic Monkeys tackle with more wit and precision. While there’s no knocking their musical chops there’s little individual voice. On ‘Just For Tonight’ the influence of labelmates The Killers is strong in the widescreen synths and smart-mouthed heartache while George Craig’s voice recalls Luke Kook. They may find their own sound; if not, that name might prove spookily accurate.

Emily Mackay

5 out of 10