Listening to indie popsters The Ataris reminds me of those heady days of my youth spent in smokey pubs listening to a bunch of lads - never a girl in sight - belt out a jumbled collection of songs to the heavy thrashing of guitars.

They may not have been the most polished and accomplished of bands but their energy was infectious.

The music often became secondary - what really made those nights so special was that feel good factor, the vibe, the craic ... call it what you will.

And the more I listen to So Long, Astoria, the more I warm to this Californian foursome.

No one track can claim to be an epic but as a collection, the album is crammed with the energy.

So Long, Astoria starts on a high with the thumping good title track and although the boys drift off the pace slightly, My Reply is another that raises the tempo.

There is an excellent take of The Boys of Summer and The Saddest Song is just as doleful as it promises, albeit with one of the catchiest tunes on the album.

Early Manics tracks come to mind listening to All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already Know while the boys up the tempo again with Looking Back on Today - another fine offering.

So Long, Astoria - an album to help recapture that lost youth!

DL