NOT a band who believe in the idea that less is more. Rather than streamline their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach, the Reading rockers gleefully take it to new extremes on their second album.

Although they're essentially about quirky pop songs and wall-of-sound rock guitars, they throw in electronic bleeps, techno beats, jazz, prog rock and what sounds like the entire contents of the BBC sound effects department, and let them slug it out.

It makes for a spectacular sound, but you get the feeling The Cooper Temple Clause are more in love with the bangs and whistles than with the songs.

Whereas Death In Vegas or Primal Scream weld pop, electronica and rock into a functioning machine, the Coopers relish the sound of the wheels dropping off.

So, even though it's never dull, you can't remember a single track afterwards.

TCTC are possibly doomed to be too odd for the indie fashionistas, but too pop for the chin-stroking avant-garde types. Commendably, at least they sound like they don't give a monkey's.

Updated: 09:19 Thursday, September 11, 2003