ANBAD’s regular reader(s) will by now have recognised the Drastic Genre-Swinging Plan Of Action that has been put into action in recent weeks.

No, I don’t know why, either, but as long as Japanese Electro-Juke sits nicely alongside rousing booze-folk, I suppose it doesn’t make sense to change tack.

So will today’s band reach for the acoustic guitar and tweed trousers, or a clutch of randomly-generated spazmoid noises sequenced to sound like late-90s 2-Step?

Well, it’s the former, naturally – but dod you honestly expect a band called Straw Bear to be the latter?

And Straw Bear have, in Kitty, produced a song of – get this – actual sublimeness.

No, it’s not hyperbole – when did you last hear a a hook line as melodically perfect as that present in the chorus of Kitty? This is a song of near-perfect pace, delicious construction, delightful lyrics and sweet intent.

In a world where Mumford and Sons steamroller all before them with their one-trick faux-subtlety, Straw Bear deserve – and I use that word carefully – to be big. Surely the world is not such a cruel place to shower Mumford with cash and fame and ignore something as lovely as this? Excellent.

NB: bonus points for name-checking Kevin Shields in Kitty’s lyrics (Only one month left for that new MBV album to appear, Kev!)

MORE: www.strawbear.com