in the future. Their sound in some ways is very traditional - after all its a classic two guitar, bass and drums line up - but it's been a long time since I've heard rock played with such clarity, such gusto. Somehow they seem to simultaneously parody and applaud traditional rock music.

Each track is a powerful compact classic in its own right, taking all the elements of rock

standards and turning them into something sharper, cleaner. Things that should be clichés suddenly become classic again, there are definitely some knowing perspectives at play here.

Imagine pop sensibilities with rock attitude. This is a band that takes it's music very seriously but that doesn't take itself too seriously at all. Here's the photographic evidence...

The driving force behind The Effuse are mainstay members Yukio and Ervin. Both of whom I have seen play together in other musical incarnations. However tonight the line-up and material were all pretty much new to me. Yukio on guitar & vocals, Ervin on bass, Hiro on second guitar and Dicek on drums.

When I had asked Ervin in advance what to

expect one word stuck in my mind - punchy, which is as good away as any to describe the sound of The Effuse.

We've all been to gigs to see friends bands in pokey little venues and made allowances for new material and bad PA but The Effuse dispel the need for any such excuses. Having heard this band live I now expect a whole lot more from any new band I see