Longcut a cut above

○○○○●

OPEN Hearts is an appropriate title for Manchester rockers Longcut's second album.
With an alt-rock base pulled around by the group's post rock leanings, yet always anchored by farting electronic basslines, Open Hearts sees the group opening up with a leaner, more honed sound than debut A Call And Response, which was at times prone to posturing over content.
From the opening yelp of Out At The Roots to the cacophonous climax of The Last Ones Here the album is a raw affair, recorded in rehearsal rooms and bathrooms at their Salford home rather than studios - meaning every ounce of blood, sweat and tears poured into the recording has been captured here.
In fact three guitar amps and two tape echo units were sacrificed during the making if Open Hearts - I hope their neighbours were the laid-back sort...