In the week when Arctic Monkeys released their first album to a rapturous reception, another indie-rock outfit also saw their debut LP soar off the shelves by harnessing the selling power of the internet.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah might not have the gritty Yorkshire accents or tales of middle England of the Monkeys, but the Brooklyn group gathered equally unstoppable momentum by establishing themselves online.
Fuelled by a glowing review on oracular music website Pitchfork, the fivepiece sold 45,000 copies of their eponymous album from bassist Tyler Sargent's bedroom.
Despite sticking proudly to their roots by refusing to spend money on mass promotion ("success is for dinosaurs and leprechauns," frontman Alec Ounsworth told an American magazine) they recently signed to indie label Wichita, preserving Sargent's sanity in the process.
Dextrously blending maniacal samples with sparklingly melodic rock, their self-produced album has a refreshing rawness and an inherently joyful, Talking Heads-influenced sound.
The band throw fire and brimstone into the mix from the start, from the carnivalesque album opener Clap Your Hands to the bluesy organ-led sensibilities of Gimme Some Salt.
Ounsworth's eccentric vocals, described by The Guardian as sounding "like David Byrne in the middle of a panic attack", add edge to the shimmering chords which provide their signature backing.
Their live career has also scaled similarly unprecedented heights from humble beginnings. Tickets for most gigs now a precious commodity and uring their UK tour last year, few venues failed to sell out.
Those quick enough to get tickets were rewarded with a band playing an eclectic mix tumbling madly through genres, something Ounsworth puts down to his obsessively varied taste and the differing backgrounds of his fellow members.
One of a succession of sharp lyrics delivered by the high-pitched singer comes when he declares that "you look like David Bowie, but you've nothing new to show me."
When Bowie subsequently attended a New York gig, Clap Your Hands must have realised they have something new to show everyone.
Starts at 8pm. Tickets cost £9, call 01273 673311 (sold out)
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