Brave Irene

Eventually, everything will be cool, even if it is just for a moment. While Rose Melberg's many previous bands, such as the Softies, Tiger Trap and Go Sailor, won her a devoted following, many people had no idea who she was because indie pop back then was very much underground and uncool. It's sad, but true. Jump forward a few years and indie pop is the flavour of the month, thanks to the likes of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and the Vivian Girls. And that means that Melberg's latest band, Brave Irene, stand a better chance than normal of being noticed. Their self-titled debut might have eight songs, but it clocks in at a brisk 18 minutes. The majority of the tunes are driven along by the classic combo of sweet harmonies and classic jangly guitars, with a buzzing organ giving them just the right amount of urgency. There's very little new or surprising about Brave Irene, but it works so well that there's little to complain about either. A lovely, albeit straightforward, introduction or rather reintroduction to a veteran of the indie pop scene.