Album Review: Preoccupations - Preoccupations

Preoccupations have ditched not only their original band name, Viet Cong, but also much of the static-charged edginess of their earlier releases.

Aside from the lacerating fidgetiness of Zodiac, much of Preoccupations seems to have been cooked up from a worn stack of early goth records and heavy tranquillisers. Disappointingly for a band who initially appeared to have something original to offer, Preoccupations now sound heavily indebted to their idols as some promising adventures in lo-fi audio grime are soured by bottom drawer songwriting and Interpol-wannabe vocals, particularly during the album's turgid latter half.