NOT so long ago The Raveonettes looked poised for something approaching greatness, their 50s B-movie sensibilities being propelled by fetishist fuzzbox guitars, black leather, red lips and dry ice. It never quite happened. Such is the way of these things.

We've got The White Stripes after all.

For their second album, ice maiden chanteuse Sharin Foo and guitar twister Sune Rose Wagner dispense with the effects and drive deeper into the bittersweet two minute soap operas so beloved of 60s girl groups like The Shirelles, The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las - indeed, the estimable Ronnie Spector crops up on the stirring Ode To LA. It's like Debbie Harry fronting Joy Division and Jesus & Mary Chain at the same time - Nick Churchill