COULD it be that these Middle England post-punkers, who dress like 1970s university professors, wear NHS specs and like gardening, are cut from a different cloth? On paper, their oft-spiky guitar riffs, vocal harmonies and Gang Of Four s Andy Gill at the

COULD it be that these Middle England post-punkers, who dress like 1970s university professors, wear NHS specs and like gardening, are cut from a different cloth?

On paper, their oft-spiky guitar riffs, vocal harmonies and Gang Of Four's Andy Gill at the helm all point to ground well-trodden by The Futureheads over two years ago.

But as well as a lightness of touch on kicking kitchen-sink highlights Here Comes The Rumour Mill and She's Attracted To, the Knives do a sublime line in oddly tranquil mid-tempo folk-pop weirdness, best realised on Tailors.

Whether seen as a triumph of substance over style or ineffable English eccentricity, it's simply great.

4/5