BRMC mapped out their territory on their 2001 debut – essentially, dark and scuzzy black-clad rock – and have barely moved from it since. Their eighth album is another solid affair, from the Mary Chain menace of Spook to the slow-building guitar wig-out of standout Ninth Configuration, not to mention the unexpected Shaun Ryder vocal stylings on the queasily lurching, fairground-evoking Circus Bazooko. At times, however, they come across as a little too ponderous, the likes of Haunt and stadium-indie plod Echo noteworthy mainly for their complete lack of spark. It makes for an album that, weighing in at an hour long, can feel rather bloated.
