We're deep in 60s basement territory here - thumping bass lines, big Hammond and very distinctive vocals from 'Miss Modus', producing a tight studio sound that seems to have benefitted from some serious time on a live stage.

And there's some good songs to match, including the jazzy 'How Do You Do?', the driving groove of 'Soul Of The Zodiac', 'Club Soul Magic' (with its particularly manic vocal), the downbeat groove of 'Illusion' and best of the bunch (for me anyway), the Auger-like 'The Snake' (no, it isn't that one thankfully) and the quirky 'Some People Say'.

The downside - and it's not just Modus that suffers from this - is a vintage sound played out in a modern studio. It all sounds a little too clean - I want some crackle and fuzz when a song kicks in, not a sharp production job. Album opener 'Gogo Shake' could be a corker in the right hands and right studio, but it just seems to lack something on this disc. Likewise 'Soul Time', which doesn't quite achieve the vintage dancefloor groove it promises.

But that's just a minor criticism. Modus certainly tick the boxes for a mod crowd and this is certainly a fine album with variety and some very catchy and accomplished grooves (not to mention a rather smart sleeve, courtesy of HisKnibs). And with that in mind, it's an album you should seek out (or at least check out via the band's MySpace site). If Modus can sort out a studio sound to match next time out, the band could really do big things.

You can contact the band to order the CD at the Modus website.

Reviewed by David Walker (review posted on 30th October 2007)

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