The Next Big Thing: Oh, Beamish Nephew

Remember when I told you that I have an unerring ability to spot "the next big thing" in music? Well kids, Nancy's got a pretty long winning streak herself, and it was she who turned me on to Clap Your hands Say Yeah some months ago... now I'm passing the favor on to you.

Now, I know that a quick Google for this Brooklyn five-piece reveals a myriad of views from the gushing to the "don’t believe the hype" doubters. That so many people are proffering an opinion on something that was self-produced and limited initially to only 2000 copies says a helluva lot about their impact, in my book. Now their CD's in a second pressing (!) and I'm here to tell you: they're the next Arcade Fire: a band propelled first by word of mouth and then by frenzied A&R. It won't be long before they're playing the Bait Shack, you'll see.

A collection of twelve tunes, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's debut album oozes quirky goodness, borrowing heavily from the danceable jangling guitars and keys of early Talking Heads, complete with David Byrne-esq breathless yelped vocals from frontman Alec Ounsworth. The songs are often magnificently titled... don't believe me? Check this out: The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth is an organ led quickstep with high note string accompaniment whilst Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood may be a cheerfully strummed tune, but it carries strong and emotional anti-war crimson lyrics. Is This Love skips along to an undulating beat like a starry-eyed lovelorn pup but it’s not all oddball goofing around; Details of the War is a dark brooding effort sounding like Tim Booth performing Sunday Morning.

Before you ask, if you dig Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, Wolf Parade, Broken Social Scene, Neutral Milk Hotel and Modest Mouse? You'll love Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. No lie.

So, you sayers of nay? I say Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is a revelation, worthy of celebration. Clap your hands indeed... and make sure to thank Nancy later.