Front cover of ‘The Ordinary Boys’

by Matthew Langham

It’s been an awfully long time since Preston entered the Big Brother house and committed what many would call career suicide. Dating the airheaded Chantelle Houghton, flouncing off ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’, Preston became a professional celebrity, and his actual band The Ordinary Boys seemed like a sideline by comparison. They lost all credibility very quickly from that point, and their last album, 2006’s How To Get Everything You Ever Wanted In Ten Easy Steps flunked – badly.

In the almost exactly nine years since, Preston has wisely decided to take time out from the fading limelight and has found himself a nice little career niche in writing hits for other artists, including ‘Heart Skips A Beat’ for Olly Murs. Those of us who could remember their 2004 debut Over The Counter Culture that he was, once upon a time, a songwriter of calibre, attuned to the disciplines of ‘80s indie and 2-tone, with that album remaining an overlooked gem of modern-day indie rock with a Morrissey attitude. Even 2005’s Brassbound, containing ‘Boys Will Be Boys’, was a reliable effort, produced by Stephen Steet and diverting their talents towards ska influenced reggae and Fred Perry shirts.

During December 2013 it was announced that The Ordinary Boys were to reform with a brand new line-up featuring Louis Jones from indie band Spectrals. Given that their demise was so ignominious, there was always going to be a point to prove, and reunion more than just a dollar-grabbing exercise. Eventually, we’ve got this rather modestly packaged self-titled fourth album. Scrap any prejudices about The Ordinary Boys because this record is very different to their previous material. It rediscovers some of the energy and attitude of their debut album, but with a nod towards American rock with a dose of The Vaccines and The Cars.

Opening track ‘About Tonight’ sets the tone of the new record with the vocal switch between Preston and new member Louis Jones. ‘Putting My Heart On The Line’ and ‘Losing My Cool’ have a hint of ‘90s pop punk forerunners, Blink-182. There’s still a hint of Preston’s Morrissey influenced vocals on ‘Do Or Die’ and ‘Almost Ready’, with the latter track delving into Teenage Fanclub-era guitar pop. It would have been perfectly easy for The Ordinary Boys to create a re-hash of old material and it’s refreshing to hear the Spectrals front man combining with Preston’s subtle vocal approach. Although it showcases the band’s new style, the melodies, lyrics and riffs are largely forgettable. For a comeback album it’s relatively steady, but this is clearly the start of a new project with a lot more to come. (5/10)

Listen to The Ordinary Boys here!