GlovesBrille **

Their brash lust for life, teenage kicks and winning way with a snotty pop tune marked out Melbourne's Operator Please for attention when they emerged a few years ago. Much touring later, second album Glovesseems driven by the forces of consolidation and forward planning. While the youthful zest is still on show in splashes here and there, it's no longer a key ingredient as OP seek instead to polish and parade their songwriting smarts. The problem, though, is that while tracks like Back & Forthand Just Kissare perfectly suited and booted, with synths providing the swing, other tunes lack the spirit of the band's original sound. In tidying up the loose ends and smoothing down their rough-and-ready demeanour, OP have lost a hell of a lot of their appeal. Instead of standing out from the crowd, they now appear unsure and uncertain whether that was a good look to begin with. See myspace.com/operatorplease

Download tracks: Back & Forth