The Roseville Band (No 812)

Hometown: Wrexham. The lineup: Andy Jones (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Steve Jones (guitar, vocals), James Edwards (drums, vocals), Phill Watson (bass), Stu Nicholls (trombone), Ali Evans (trumpet). The background: There are, of course, new bands about, not just solo synth girls and soul boys, and lots of them. But is there one with huge commercial potential, that you could imagine doing what Kings of Leon do and sell out the O2? As if on cue, here come the Roseville Band. Now, they might be more likely to live out their days playing boozers in the shadow of the mighty dome, but they do indeed make a racket that has earned them the not-ungenerous soubriquet, "the Welsh Kings of Leon". A homegrown KoL? It's a great idea, and we're not quite sure why no one came up with it earlier (cue sound of record company focus teams committing hara-kiri). Maybe because as a rule we Brits don't do boogie as well as the Americans ("Oi, I heard that!" – a passing Francis Rossi). For every Status Quo over here, there are legions of Lynyrd Skynyrds and Allman Brothers over there. It could reasonably be argued – perhaps with the late Lee Brilleaux in one corner, and the even later Ronnie Van Zant in the other – that pub rock is our default setting, and boogie is theirs. Listening to the Roseville Band bears out the theory that we Brits might be able to rock out but we can't boogie. Perhaps it's something worthy of degree-level scrutiny by a climatologist, who may need to make connections between the weather down south in the US and the lethargic loucheness essential for the form. But this lot's reputation as the "KoL of the valleys" is a tad wide of the mark. The songs on their debut album, Little Eyes in the Universe, have more in common with the bluesier end of the Zutons' catalogue, with Britpop-era Scousers such as Cast, or with any one of the sub-Oasis rockers who formed in the Mancs' wake. This stuff's uptight not laidback, and there are horns all over it – they love Dexys Midnight Runners – which is weird because it was recorded with Dom McCready and Lance Thomas, who have previously worked with Simian and Ladytron. There isn't one iota of electronica to be found. Nope, it's a rousing, pub-rocking, beer-swilling stomp-fest, all sung in that way Welsh rockers – and Liverpudlians – tend to, in other words, as though they are advertising a cold remedy. There is some jangly guitar on one of the tracks over which one of the players parps a trumpet, which is well Orange Juice-y and made us come over a bit misty-eyed, but the rest is blustery, brassy rock from start to finish. If you want a budget Kings of Leon for your wedding or bar mitzvah, here's your boyos. The buzz: "They fulfill the perennial desire for a solid British rock band that can pack tents at festivals and provide the soundtrack to some good honest binge-drinking" – The Ear Horn . The truth: No, sir, they can't boogie – but they are as manly, sweaty and generally rock-tastic as Jocky Wilson playing Chuck Berry riffs in a sauna. Most likely to: Play the Freebutt. Least likely to: Play Freebird. What to buy: Debut single Boxer and album Little Eyes in the Universe are out now on Tri-Tone. File next to: Kings of Leon, Cast, the Zutons, Twisted Wheel. Links: www.myspace.com/therosevilleband Tuesday's new band: Magic Kids.