Album: Brakes – The Beatific Visions (Rough Trade)

9:00am Monday 6th November 2006

The Beatific Visions veers all over the unbeaten track of an indie band keen on punky shouting and country twang.

Brighton-based Brakes are a new-indie supergroup of sorts, featuring (former) members of British Sea Power and Electric Soft Parade.

The Beatific Visions is a little tighter than their debut, Give Blood, which was alluringly all over the place.

And aside from the dubious straight-country jaunt If I Should Die Tonight, The Beatific Visions delivers magnificently.

There's high-octane political ranting on Porcupine Or Pineapple?, utter insanity on Spring Chicken, gentler highs with album-closer No Return and astonishing accomplishment on Mobile Communication.

Only two tracks exceed three minutes, so it's all over in an exhilarating flash.

The Beatific Visions: saintly.