Serial P.O.P.

Scottish quartet Serial P.O.P. commits the blunder of listing Derrick May, Scott Walker, Renegade Soundwave and the Fall as inspirations. So why does Serial P.O.P.’s debut album sound as if the band is auditioning to score a John Hughes flick, circa 1985? White Sex Male more closely recalls the lumbering arena rock of post-prime Psychedelic Furs and Simple Minds than the mavericks Serial P.O.P. cites as influences. You sense these Scots want to achieve poppy bounciness and thick-necked menace, but the music’s not heavy enough to inspire fear and not melodically interesting enough to make you want to hit repeat. Singer George McFall pens some fine lines (In every city and every town/The sweetest smile don’t match your frown), and the group generates some interesting guitar and keyboard textures, but the clunky rhythm section drags things into mediocrity.