Male Bonding

Endless Now Sub Pop***

Male Bonding's Nothing Hurtsdebut last year generated positive noises for its ripping, ramshackle racket, which was high on energy, buzz and sweaty vim. For album No 2, the London trio highlight their knack for coining three-minute fuzzy punk-pop tunes, with song arrangements and a cleaner sound taking precedence over the noise on this occasion. Male Bonding are still taking their cues from Hüsker Dü and Dinosaur Jr when it comes to dazed, chaotic alt-rock, but they're also sussed enough to roll out sunny, surfy pop nuggets such as Tame the Sun, Before It's Goneand the tough, ambitious Bones. Despite the best intentions of band and producer John Agnello to keep the meters out of the red zone, Nothing Hurtsis still ragged and jagged at the edges but, to be honest, that's really no bad thing. See myspace.com/male bonding

Download tracks: Tame the Sun, Before It's Gone