The Proclaimers - Like Comedy

Set aside for a moment the Peter Kay rendition of 500 Miles, and go back to the original duo.

For me, The Proclaimers will always be a childhood memory of being about 6 years old and hearing them on the radio in the car; my Dad mimicking the 'when you go.' part of 'Letter From America' or, even more recently, where it has become an end of the night track in many cheesy venues.

It might seem a bit weird that they have a new album if you're not a fan, but they've just returned from a fifteen month world tour and they still have a decent following.

Like Comedy is the ninth album from The Proclaimers and, in many ways, it disappointed me. I am completely open to new music and a variety of genres, but this failed to grab my attention long enough to not desperately want to press 'skip'. I have no idea what I was expecting though; we're no longer in 1987!

Like Comedy opens on a strong note with 'Whatever You've Got', building up a good pace. It has the distinct galloping rhythm, the direct hook, and the style assigned to The Proclaimers. It then dips in highs and lows of an extreme buzz to a wallowing ballad.

Maybe they are trying to recapture the hook of past successes, but that's the problem with bands like this. They have hits such as '500 miles'; real crowd pleasers; and you end up comparing it to everything they do after. As an album, it has managed a 31 in the album charts, but their singles haven't charted - more than likely down to the target audience.

Like Comedy is not a massively inspirational album nor is it particularly dynamic, but it's them. It's bland, a bit like really milky tea, but if that's the way you like it, you're never disappointed are you?

Laura Johnstone