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Songs from Southern and Baseline

Rock Sound   [8/10]   [June 2004]

Take a handful of 70s Stones, add some vintage Cheap Trick, stir in a little Royal Trux at their most accessible and voila! You've got Glasgows Marshan. Seemingly determined to restore the joy to modern times rock, they've gone and recorded an unassuming yet self-assured little gem of an album which shakes and moves with infectious glee. "Shake Yourself" begins the album with a power-pop kick like Supergrass on steroids, and from there the band proceed to dazzle with the breadth of their influences and their ability to recycle well-worn ideas into fresh, contemporary shape. Like Gonga with real songs replacing titanic stoner grooves, Marshan similarly hint at a future for British rock music beyond identikit emo groups with 14 word names, and for that we should be thankful. Retro? Sure. Any good? You betcha.

Joe Stannard