Cancel the Astronauts - I am the President of Your Fan Club

  by Chris Jones

published: 29 / 11 / 2009

---

Review

There was a time when it seemed that every band was trying to sound like a Scottish pop band - or at least like that one Scottish pop band. It was a pretty good time and far better than when everyone was trying to sound like a Seattle band. Cancel the Astronauts are actually a Scottish pop band, hailing from the fine city of Edinburgh and 'I am the President of Your Fan Club' is their debut EP. They don't sound much at all like that one Scottish pop band, nor do they sound much like Ballboy. In fact, the one band that first came to mind was New York City's Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. This is mainly due to the vocal delivery of Matthew Riley, but the music is in a similar, if somewhat more subdued, vein. And that's not a bad thing at all. The 5 songs on this EP rock by pretty quickly, but thanks to the power of repeat mode, I listened to this EP three times in a row without once skipping a song. The title track kicks things off with a rip and a snarl, as it tackles the seldom sung about topic of stalking pop stars as told from the perspective of the stalker. It's both funny and informative. 'Country Song' uses somewhat of a quiet/loud approach and really doesn't sound much like a country song. That said, it is quite a toe tapper. 'Late in the City' may be the track that most gave me a Clap Your Hands Say Yeah vibe - the vocals and keyboard tones. It may also be my favorite track on the EP, but I don't think that's because it sounds the most Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-ish. There's a playfulness to the music that counters the lyrics of love lost. It also seems to capture most aspects and moods of the band in one song. Nice. 'Love Somebody' has some sort of head bobbing quality that I couldn't seem to fend off. The lyrical repetition helps lock in the head bobbing and I played this song a few times in a row the second time through the EP. I may have a slight case of autism now. The EP closes with it's longest and most sinister sounding track, 'Let's Go Expo'. This song covers the topic of what happens in a bar minutes before closing time when all the "unclaimed" people are looking for someone with whom to end the night. There is a manic quality to the song that makes me think this could be a show ender complete with a kicked over drum kit. Cancel the Astronauts may not sound like what comes to my mind when I hear the descriptor "Scottish pop", but what they sound like is a rocking pop band having a good time. Given the worldwide doldrums of 2009, let's hope that this is a sign of better days to come in 2010.

Track Listing:-

1 I Am The President Of Your Fanclub (And Last Night I Followed You Home)
2 Country Song
3 Late In The City
4 Love Somebody
5 Let's Go Expo