The Hot Puppies - Terry

When one allows their mind to wander into territory where 'Hot Puppies' abound, things rarely take a turn for the mature or for that matter, respectable. In fact, when one allows their mind to wander in even that vague direction, it is anything and everything but swoony guitars, wall of sound seductress vocals and heartfelt odes to a boy named Terry that arrests the attention.

There is nothing at all smutty or suspect where these climatically challenged canines are concerned, with a relentlessly brooding and atmospheric tone being conjured from the moment the first sinister, treble smothered riffs of 'Terry' sweet talk the ear. The song progresses in a similarly libidinous manner with the pounding heartbeat of Rupert Wood's bass drum providing a firm hand on the curves of Beth Gibson's lush keyboard lines, before collapsing in a pile of limbs and a wonky synth for good measure.

Like every good encounter with the opposite sex, 'Terry' is coy, secretive and mysterious but ultimately lots of unsanitary fun.

Jack Shankly