Review of Rent's CD "PS..."

Rent look like the band that perform at the annual Christmas dinner for the Association of Young Lawyers. The two black Ostrich feathers which tumble out of the envelope, plucked from the boa of one of the lady solicitors in the band does little to add any razzmatazz. "Theatripop" as they describe themselves with a "cute" TM attached, clearly consists of pop music as if it were turned out by the local amateur dramatics group in between productions of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Carrousel". There is simply nothing memorable or rousing about either song here. "PS..." and "5am" both feel flat and surprisingly for a band with umpteen members sound rather thin and lacking any real scale. Think Divine Comedy but with a blunt edge or The Polyphonic Spree with out the uplifting ear for pop. It's all just too tame.