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On their debut album, In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s, London three-piece Let’s Wrestle merge punk and pop sensibilities, resulting in hummable energetic tunes and sass without sneer.

Lead single “We Are the Men You’ll Grow to Love Soon” will have listeners singing along by song’s end, and have them ready to sit down for a pint and a chat long before. There’s something immediately familiar and likable about the gents in Let’s Wrestle (Wesley Patrick Gonzalez – vocals/guitar, Mike Lightning – bass/vocals, and Darkus Bishop – drums); maybe it’s their unassuming vibe or the overriding sense of fun.

In addition to boppy rockers, there are sonic nods to rock-n-roll history, such as with “My Schedule”. Filled with pretty oohs and organ, the seemingly banal rundown of the day’s events reveals itself to be a laundry list of distractions to keep the narrator from going crazy while waiting for a call from a lost (or perhaps yet-to-be-found) love. Double points for making something that could be sappy and maudlin real and listenable.

There are a few missteps on the record, the title track being the main offender. Loud, dated, and generally out of step with the band’s sound, it may work as an end-of-set jam but should have been cut from the track list. The upside is that a lack of editing is easily forgivable, and while the catchy tracks will burrow their way into one’s brain, the less-than-stellar ones just fade away.

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In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s drops 03.23.10.
Stream the album here.