Straight-up visceral rock thrills abound on ANBAD at the moment.

Surely it was only a week ago when almost every band on here was a bedroom knob-twiddler whelping wispy, cloudbursting electronica?

Oh wait – it was only a week ago. To paraphrase both Margaret Thatcher and Ian Faith, a week is a long time in the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock.

So, The Neat’s presence is a sign of ANBAD’s continuing dalliance with the less blousey side of modern music.

And, yes, here’s the inevitable caveat: don’t worry – The Neat make blisteringly spasmodic, angular buzz-rock.

New Kids is shot through with muttering voices, guitar lines that follow the vocals, and drums that begin with elephantine momentum and then just cling on for the ride.

The attention to detail – a splash of surprising noise here, a lyrical quirk there – lifts the song from its four-square rock template. This is the sign of a good band.

If all bands of The Neat‘s ilk put in half the care, the tricks, the practice – the ideas – into their songs, we’d be living in a dreamy wonderland, my friends.

MORE: theneat.blogspot.com