Contemporary Nashville greats Lambchop’s 2002 album Is A Woman is an incredible record. Mainly because it’s in effect one long song. Yet the lack of diversity within the tracks doesn’t result in a monotonous listening experience.

She Wants Revenge offer, pun very much intended, more of the same on their eponymous debut. It’s hard to believe vocalist Justin Warfield started out as rapper, such is his pitch-perfect impersonation of Interpol front man Paul Cook’s impression of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. Collaborator Adam Bravin likewise paints it black, with suitably mope-inducing bass, keyboard, percussion and programming.

As well as sharing an appreciation of Manchester musical history, the LA-based duo are B-Movie enthusiasts. That’s the doom-and-gloom merchants hailing from Mansfield, rather than the cinematic genre. Although, having said that, the album cover would suggest the two are also keen movie buffs as the front cover features a model wearing underwear with her right hand behind her back. Flip the CD over and you’ll see that same hand conceals what appears to be a butcher’s knife.

Whereas Franz Ferdinand aim to “make music for girls to dance to”, Warfield and Bravin attempt to go one step further. They wanted their record “to make girls cry and dance.” In this goal, they succeed, creating dancefloor-friendly gothic ballads.

Sharing a hip-hop background, the haters seemed to have followed She Wants Revenge over into their new musical direction. Whilst it’s true they’re not the most original band out there, the boo-hoo two weave a special kind of magic on this self-titled release. What could come across as dirge in the wrong hands never ever drags.
(4/5)

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