It's A Beauty

"And the sweetest sounds that you've not found are waiting there beneath the clouds." In cold print that might read like some sad-o, hippy-dippy sentiment but just listen to it radiating from the speakers as 'Plenty Times' kicks off The Frank and Walters' third album. Savour the thrill of discovery and that butterflies-in-the-stomach falling-in-love happiness that only very special pop music induces. Yup, The Franks have delivered a shimmering gem of a long player.

The Frank And Walters were always the bringers of cheer and optimism to Irish guitar pop, but to their detractors they just sang about happy busmen and blind beggars eating forks. Some might sneer at the return of an outfit commonly considered to hail from a bygone age of neo-Paddy Whackery. If the same detractors aren't silenced by this, then they just don't like music, simple as that.

Beauty Becomes More Than Life is the Franks' summer pop masterpiece, one of those rarities where melancholy becomes a grin-infested celebration. The addition of former One Dove member, Sarah de Courcy, on keyboards fleshes out the sound with some thrilling effects. Note the genius way that the church organ intro of 'Today' leads the song down bittersweet memory lanes, accompanied by chiming guitars and drumming which would make Stephen Morris of Joy Division/New Order fame proud.

Rich and dreamy paeans to the simple pleasures of love and life abound, merging celebration ('Simple Times') with the acute pain of loss ('Time We Said Goodbye', 'Until The End') - but while sounding grown up and cautious, they haven't fallen out of love with life.

They've been knocked down, but they've got up again and written this year's first essential slice of guitar pop. Summer's here, kids. Enjoy it.