So here’s another one of those bands who inexplicably enjoy very little hype (machine or otherwise) and yet are so ridiculously likable it seems like such a shame. Flashguns are a charming four-piece band from Brighton whom I’d venture to suggest sound like a young Mystery Jets, only this time no one’s dad is hanging out playing rhythm guitar and killing all opportunity to create any “what happens on tour stays on tour” fodder. (Not that I’m suggesting they look old enough to be consensual, I was thinking more along the lines of firing puke-piloted rockets at the trailor next to theirs because it’s probably filled with girls and they’re heaps gross.) Come to think of it, this is probably exactly what Mystery Jets looked like before they decided to embrace that whole total dishevelment thing and, you know, quit shampoo forever. It’s also kind of uncanny/frightening just how much that token red-headed kid looks like a young version of Foals’ token red-headed….er, man.

Just late last year Flashguns released their debut EP, the not-so-uniquely-titled-but-we’ll-let-them-get-away-with-it-cause-they’re-little, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, which features the fantastically hook-laden tracks below (I couldn’t for the life of me get Bells At Midnight out of my head today, which isn’t as irritating as it sounds because it replaced OMC’s How Bizarre). And now, having recently graduated from boarding school, they are working towards releasing a new single in the coming months, which I’m predicting will be awesome. Visit their Myspace page and say hey.

Flashguns – Bells At Midnight

Flashguns – Good Witch/Bad Witch

Ahh boarding school. What a fascinating combination of what I imagine to be bad food, adorable uniforms and extreme parent-hating. I totally bet that’s why there’s no style-cramping dad in this band.

- bec