MILBURN are one of those bands whose initial burst of fame seems preordained purely because they're in the right place at the right time. In this case, because they're mates and stage-sharers with the NME'S current Sheffield faves The Arctic Monkeys.
Which, of course, can cut one of two ways. Yes, it can give a youthful band a head start (and believe me, Milburn are youthful - one of them was recently refused entry to his own gig thanks to his underage persona) in the short term, but can also ensure they are spat out quickly and forgotten even sooner. If you're wondering what I'm driving at, then consider visiting the graves of bands such as Northern Uproar and Northside and leave a rose or two while you're at it.
On the basis of these two songs, though, Milburn could well avoid the Reaper's premature attention, because - while they break the square root of arse all in terms of originality - both "Showroom" and its' energetic flipside "Storm In A Teacup" have infectious teenage pop nous on their side and are damn well gonna make the most of it.
Indeed, the sheer fizzy excitement of these songs is impossible not to appreciate in the short term. "Showroom" is daffily excellent: all zig-zagging, 'Pink Panther' theme-style riffs, headrushes of guitars and bassist Joe Carnall's supremely-accented South Yorkshire intonation adding up to something oddly special. The canny lyrical content ("It makes me laugh, he's trying so hard to pretend/ acting oh so original, and he's simply following the trends!") also belies a cynicism and wisdom beyond the band's tender age and suggests Milburn may not be the playground pushovers you'd previously suggested either. All good.
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"Storm In A Teacup", meanwhile, is in cahoots with perky, frisky ska-pop of the Ordinary Boys' variety. Once again, it's tried and tested, but so ridiculously exuberant, it can't fail to melt your heart and insert a perma-smile on your face.
Of course, whether this gleeful adrenaline rush will translate so well over the course of an album remains to be seen, but "Showroom" is certainly a good debut single and the sound of that crucial first hurdle being cleared.
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