Artist: Various
Title: Dance ToThe Radio: What We All Want
By Conor Duffy

I always like getting CDs from Leeds label Dance To The Radio. Firstly, because every time I see the name I'm instantly reminded of Joy Division, which is nice. And secondly, because the quality of the music to be found in these packages tends to be quite high.

So it was with high expectations that I popped this compilation from the label into my CD player. Everybody's been going mad over Leeds and Dance To The Radio have managed to gather songs from no less than 22 different bands, showcasing a myriad of styles, from punk to metal to hip-hop. Managing to do this without creating a disjointed record is quite an achievement, and among the talent on show, there are some real diamonds.

The Pigeon Detectives come across all Buzzcocks-like on ‘I'm Always Right,' even managing to slip in a neat guitar solo and some great gang vocals. Though they probably hate me for what I wrote about their name, iLiKETRAiNS also impress. ‘The Beeching Report' quietly lurks up on you, sounding like David Bowie fronting The Bad Seeds. Fittingly, we are awoken from that uneasy slumber by O Fracas, who call to mind the energy and clever lyricism of Les Savy Fav. Even Snow White's ‘Stop Anything' is endearing in its grotty hardcore/metal approach.

Unfortunately Napoleon IIIrd, while as good as ever, sounds a little out of place among the racket, and Yes Boss' ‘Meet The Boss,' featuring Witty and Nasty Boi, may at times veer too close to The Streets for comfort. Also, some of the bands here still need to develop their individual identity, as they start to meld into one another.

But these are just minor niggles when you take the compilation as a whole. This Et Al continue to construct vast rock soundscapes with ‘The Loveliest Alarm.' ¡Forward, Russia! seem as mad as ever, ‘Two' managing to sound both violent and moving at the same time. However, Bam Bam Francs almost beat them at their own game, bringing to mind perhaps a more melodic Blood Brothers on ‘Bam Bam You're Dead.'

Nothing on this comp is less than decent, and quite a few of these tracks are quite brilliant. Really, if you're looking for the definitive record of a currently thriving scene, you'd do far worse than this. Pick it up before it ends up on eBay, being sold at "extortionate rates." Hmm, there's an idea…

CD is released 27 February. Go to www.dancetotheradio.com for more information.