"Our Kid Eh" The Shirehorses (Columbia) review by Ruth

While the likes of NME pontificate over the latest oeuvre by Radiohead, or the latest saviour of alternative music, few will notice the resounding plop as the second Shirehorses album plummets into the murky waters of the alternative music scene. The Shirehorses, together for many, many years now under various guises have always stood for a brand of musical excellence which, while not necessarily recognised by the popular music press, is certainly well known among their colleagues and admirers.

While legendary axe-man The Dark Prince and, um, other legendary axe-man Dick "The Buttock" Scruttock have been plying their trade with, errrr, yet another legendary axe-man and front-man Mark "Lard" Reilly, and sticksman and secondary front-(well, actually he's usually at the back, so he's technically a both-ends-man)man Mark Radcliffe, it's the latter pair's little known specialist radio show side-project which has received more attention from the press; due to their pioneering approach to the promotion of new genres, such as Emo-core, Speed Garage, and Russian Bluegrass, and has also led to their early plays of such international luminaries as Coldplay and the Cobbler's Altar Contract. But while such coverage has been in the favour of such rising stars, the Shirehorses have been unfairly neglected over the years, left to sink into the rising silt at the bottom of the algae-clogged, midge-breeding music industry pond.

But they have continued to make ripples on the musical ocean, despite the indifference of the press, leading to their current status as cult legends among the echelons of the clear waters of the lauded pop elite. Even though certain people are perhaps too shy to embarrass their heroes by directly citing their influence, there certainly evidence of the Shirehorses magical touch in the work of some of the most popular artists of our time. 'No Big Sizes' by previous line-up Radioshed is echoed by artists as diverse as Pink Floyd and Boards Of Canada, while "If You Tolerate This Piss..." can be seen in a more immature form by the likes of King Adora and Can. Our Kid, Eh? also demonstrates The Shirehorses great talent with a diversity of genres, and their chameleonic ability to effortlessly move between them with skill. Their nineties incarnation as the Indecipherable Boys, and their hit single (Number 5 for ten weeks in Papua New Guinea) 'Pardon', can be seen in the recent work of such up-and-coming young hopefuls as Eminem and Run DMC. And in Po Fasis' "A Roll With It" can be seen shades of the mid-nineties Brit-pop revolution anticipated over twenty years in advance.

But forget about the vast impression The Shirehorses have left on the musical climate both here and abroad. 'Our Kid, Eh?' stands alone as one of the mighty 'Horses' greatest releases. Just listen to the sweeping, uplifting melody of Robbie & William's "Arseholes", with it's Elton John overtones (and note that while their contemporaries do not, the fame and adulation do not prevent The Shirehorses from acknowledging the influence of other artists). There's the tragic everyman paean of 'Why Is It Always Dairylea?', proving that they still have the common touch and the ability to encapsulate human dilemma in one song, despite their years in the business. And their abilities do not just lie in their songwriting capabilities, but in their instrumental mastery as well, such as Lard's magnificent guitar solo of 'No Big Sizes', or the touching tones of 'Bellow'. While The Shirehorses are still willing to aid new talent - witness the dulcet tones of new discovery Bridie from the Canteen on 'Tony', surely the next Alison Moyet - it's about time they were recognised as stars in their own right in their own constellation in the musical galaxy. As a testiment to their years it is a perfect reflection of this seminal band.

A modern classic.