For many of us, it may seem like a lifetime ago that the self-assured Preston and his gang of merry indie men were all over our screens with classic noughties tracks such as ÔÇÿBoys Will Be BoysÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿI Luv UÔÇÖ. Arguably, The Ordinary Boys disappeared from the EarthÔÇÖs surface around 2006, following the generally average reception of the album ÔÇÿHow to Get Everything You Ever Wanted In Ten Easy StepsÔÇÖ, and not to mention PrestonÔÇÖs questionable behaviour on Celebrity Big Brother leading to tabloid exploitation from every direction. It is quite frankly easy to see why the bands success went awry and why so little people in the present day are enthused by their laddish indie-rock in the same way many still feel about The Libertines, The Kooks and The Wombats. But now, (post-hiatus and post-unexpected-reunion), The Ordinary Boys are back with their eponymously self-titled fourth album (the first on their own imprint label entitled ÔÇÿTreat YourselfÔÇÖ), which can only be described as something incredibly special.

The album opens with ÔÇÿAbout TonightÔÇÖ; and what stands out is that not only does it have an extremely catchy rhythm and vibe, but also PrestonÔÇÖs voice, along with the progressive drumbeat, sounds far more mature than anything heard from the band before. Follow-up track ÔÇÿAwkwardÔÇÖ is equally as impressive, and the vocals are reminiscent of early 90s Blur, an atmosphere that really suits The Ordinary Boys. The guitar riffs in the verses of album highlight ÔÇÿLosing My CoolÔÇÖ, and the casual lyrics about a pretty young thing driving an innocent heart insane strike a chord huge, insisting on teenage nostalgia. The album is upbeat, relatable and most importantly so much better than anything that was ever expected of The Ordinary Boys. ItÔÇÖs a must for both new and old fans.

RACHAEL HUTCHINGS