The Jeevas (ex-Kula Shaker) - 1-2-3-4! (2002)

So the rumours were true. Crispian Mills does_ have a new band. It’s alright, there’s no need to panic! They are actually - dare I say it - quite good!

Luckily things are very different this time round. Gone are the entourage of personal gurus, gone are the flaming swastikas, and more pleasingly, gone are the atrocious songs sung entirely in Sanskrit. This is a new beginning, and I like it.

I present to you The Jeevas - a band that really are as simple as 1,2,3,4. Sounding like a cross between **Space, Bob Dylan and ‘Pin-Ups’ era Bowie, they venture into an era formerly avoided by Crispian: The 70s.

The bands’ debut single, ‘Virginia’ , opens the album with a fast and exciting start. It’s instantly memorable and provides a perfect introduction to the sheer simplicity and the excitement of The Jeevas. Songs like ‘You Got My Number’ and ‘Teenage Breakdown’ manage to supply the type of charming indie-pop that Ash would be proud of.

Even dull moments, such as ‘Ghost’; and the really dull moments, such as the dreary ‘Once Upon A Time In America’ fail to put a dampener on this record. '1,2,3,4' is just a simple album; it’s nothing life altering, nor is it particularly inspiring. See it for what it is and enjoy. Don’t let those horrible memories of Kula Shaker put you off.