Can be a mixed bag, but it's a bag with some tasty surprises inside for those that choose to delve into it.

Why would a Dutch band call themselves '7 Miles To Pittsburgh' and stick a buffalo on the cover of their debut album? Anyone? As Toyah once said, "it's a mystery". To be honest, band names are often a little bonkers and I suspect no one cares anyway. Fronted by ex-Sleeze Beez (see!) vocalist Andrew Elt, who is aided and abetted by veteran musicians Martin Helmantel and Joris Linder, 7 Miles To Pittsburgh aren't as lively as his old band, but they certainly know how to make a catchy tune.

'Same Size Soul' gives the album an impressive start; all guitars and energy wrapped in a jagged drumbeat that reminds me of some of the better Hard Rock of the nineties. It's comfortably followed by 'Pittsburgh' and 'Lost And Found' (the latter builds nicely from a quiet start) and at this point I'm thinking I've got a nice little discovery here.

Although 'Earth Dance' is a bit flat, 'Jambalaya' is an excellent mid-paced ballad that I can see myself coming back to again and again; it reminds me of Tesla, or maybe even Mötley Crüe. 'Damn' follows a similar vibe, and though it's odd to have these two tracks together, they are both great. The weakest song on the album has to be the rather dull ballad '21 Grams', which itself is part of a second half that is definitely weaker than the first.

Although not as complete an album as the first half would suggest, this is still full of decent songs. Elt still has a cracking voice that really pumps some energy into the tracks, while Helmantel contributes some very nice solos and fills to liven up the otherwise less exciting ones. Part Indie, part Sleaze, part straight-up Rock, '7 Miles To Pittsburgh' can be a mixed bag, but it's a bag with some tasty surprises inside for those that choose to delve into it.

Alan Holloway