The Walls

Stop the LightsDirtbird Records ***

A lot can change in six years. Since The Walls released their last album (New Dawn Breaking) in 2006, indie acts such as Delorentos can now go toe-to-toe with stalwarts of the scene like Steve and Joe Wall. Yet while their third album isn't innovative or original enough to sway the younger generation, it's another likeable exercise in guitar-based indie. Most of Stop the Lights trundles along at a mid-paced canter, the sprightly melodies and jangly grooves of Dead Flowers and Carrying the Fire working in tandem with Steve's reliable vocals. Things get more interesting with Doodlesque, a measured number that unwinds its slow- building charm in gradual increments. It's one of the best songs out of a songwriting formula that is certainly concrete-solid, but perhaps also in need of a new lick of paint. thewalls.ie

Download tracks: Phantom Power, Doodlesque