Morning Parade Parlophone*

Formed after a failed incursion into indie rock with their former band Anotherstory, Essex band Morning Parade apparently won a deal with Parlophone on the back of their live shows. In that case, their performances must be world-beating because the studio recordings are not. The debut album stitches a rock-by-numbers pattern across 11 anodyne songs that are so dull that even Kasabian fans will take offence at them. Steve Sparrow's prosaic voice is matched by the band's sound, driven by strident guitar riffs that preface predictably big, overproduced choruses. Positives? Well, Under the Starsstarts inevitably tediously before perking up with Foals- style dance elements, but it's not nearly enough to rescue an already half-sunken vessel. It may sound harsh to dismiss this as lowest-common- denominator indie, but unfortunately, that's precisely what it is. morningparade.com

Download tracks: Under the Stars, Carousel