With names like Felix, Orlando, Rupert and Hugo, the Maccabees had no choice but to plump for the artier end of the guitar-rock spectrum. Luckily, it suits them. There's snap and crackle in their off-beat melodies, and real heat in Orlando Weeks' staccato vocal lines. Being part of the groovy London milieu that yielded Lily Allen seems to have left no obvious marks - if anything, they're more indebted to jittery northerners like Maxïmo Park and Futureheads. The Maccabees find pleasure in small things: jumpy little Latchmere celebrates their local leisure centre, Lego is a sweet memory of days out with mum and dad ("Look left, look right, cross the road and hold my hand"), albeit one wrapped up in gutsy power-pop. Then there's Toothpaste Kisses, which elegantly closes the album with a lounge-lizardish hymn to good teeth. Joyous and full of beans, Colour It In proves that even Ruperts can rock.
Contributor
Caroline Sullivan
Caroline Sullivan writes about rock and pop for the Guardian
Caroline Sullivan
The GuardianTramp
