You may not have heard yet of this melodic rock five-piece from Merseyside but you will do soon.

The hype surrounding The Open's debut offering, The Silent Hours, has them among the best bands in Britain, and it is not far off the mark. Technically brilliant, the level of production supersedes many albums by established artists, with a speciality of mid-song instrumentals - including leaving chords hanging in mid-air - quickly becoming a trademark.

The upbeat Close My Eyes has single written all over it, while tracks including the anthemic Lost And Forgotten are simply stunning, each evoking a sound reminiscent of the 1980s rock scene, partly down to producer Simon Raymonde, formerly of the Cocteau Twins.

It takes guts to splash out on an album by a band you've never heard of but anyone brave enough to do so will be rewarded by one of the most exciting debut albums in a long while.

Updated: 08:58 Thursday, July 29, 2004