Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you're a regular listener of Cross Rhythms you'll already be familiar with the Sheffield band's unique concoction of left-of-centre pop rock with tracks like "Push Back" and "Sending Cards" much heard on your favourite station. With their third album The Gentlemen have delivered their catchiest CD. Catchy is what the band do best. Catch the staccato harmonies at the close of "Words". Or the jerkily propulsive "New York Girl". Or the thrusting electro pop of "Twenty Seven Days". Wherever you dip in you'll find clever little instrumental passages and rich use of tight harmony, all set around lead singer Nicholas Noble's wheezingly expressive voice that, now that [dweeb]'s Tim Alford has dropped from view, is surely the UK scene's most distinctive. So a clever and creatively astute set of synth pop rock is offer on 'Departures' and it remains a mystery why the mainstream pop scene hasn't taken them up big time.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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