If you’re anything like me, you probably won’t have to try too hard to contain your excitement when you hear of the arrival of yet another Red Hot Chili Peppers-influenced band.

And on the face of it, this is exactly what The Disco PieRats are. However, unlike so many other bands in the same vein, this 80 per cent Swindon, 20 per cent London-based posse (Ryan Morgan, Matt Bryant, Josh Dean, Sam Pill, Charlie Rowe) have more than just dirty great riffs up their sleeves. Alright, so ‘Casanova’ and ‘Physical Love’ are both hard-hitting sleaze-funk thumpers, but beneath this tough exterior is something so many bands lack nowadays; a bit of intelligence and - wait for it - even a sense of humour.

Vocalist Ryan Morgan’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics, reminiscent of Mike Skinner circa 2002 or, more recently, Example, manage to connect with the listener in the most basic ways. This lifts the songs way above the overpopulated quagmire of funk-rock (despite the occasional lyrical clanger, such as the absurd “You’re the greatest medicine since petrol for a car.” Eh?) Further proof of The Disco PieRats’ versatility comes in the form of ‘Attention Seeker’, with jangly Smiths-esque guitars chiming over melancholy verses. A down-to-earth ballad tinged with resignation, it’s an unlikely and low-key highlight of the band’s MySpace page.

There’s definitely no shortage of bands in the same genre bracket, but don’t let that put you off, The Disco PieRats are miles ahead of most. Honest.

The Disco PieRats are playing live in Swindon in March and April. Check their MySpace for details:www.myspace.com/ thediscopierats

By Sam Lee