Busy Signals

"The underlying approach to our stuff is plagiarism.” So says drummer Frankie Jensen about his Chicago band, the Busy Signals. He’s not far off — this self-titled debut takes plenty of cues from late ’70s Brit punk acts like the Buzzcocks and the Boys. But their evident sense of self-awareness translates on record, as demonstrated by the tongue in cheek brashness with which they play — they’re a guaranteed riot live. The Busy Signals strike a fine balance between expertly constructed melodies and raw power that can only come from years of crate digging. These carefree tunes creep into your head and stay there before you realise they’re even finished — all 12 songs collectively clock in at just under 24 minutes. Creative plagiarism isn’t easy to pull off but this surprising bunch clearly know what they’re doing.