Sonic Boom Six: City of Thieves

Apr 26 2009 by Paul Cole, Sunday Mercury

SONIC BOOM SIX

City Of Thieves

(Rebel Alliance)

wIF Sonic Boom Six were a toy, they’d be one of those cheap shiny robots imported from Japan, transforming themselves into all manner of useful vehicles at the flick of a switch.

The band’s third studio album finds Laila Khan & Co throwing ska, classic rock, pop, hip-hop and thrash metal into a blender. Imagine, if you will, Lily Allen fronting Slipknot in a set of No Doubt’s greatest hits.

In the studio next door, Sigue Sigue Sputnik are mixing it up with Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku girls. Yes, it teeters on the brink of chaos – but opposites attract.

Rum Little Scallywag recalls Two Tone triumph, Through The Eyes Of A Child and Floating Away both nod to No Doubt and the title track is unashamedly old school ska. But Back 2 Skool is powered by pummelling bass drum pedals, Polished Chrome And Open Kitchens has Iron Maiden ambitions, and Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! is contemporary hip-hop.

Throughout, Khan sings about life in the big city, taking in everything from binge-drinking to the war on terror.

And listen for a cheeky Beatles cue in eco-friendly The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Inventions. PC