Showing that cheap doesn’t always win

Shiny Toy Guns - Season of Poison | 4/5

Think back a year. You are the Pussycat Dolls. You have released a song about not caring if men look at your breasts.

How do you beat that moment in the history of popular culture? That’s right, you televise a search for a new band member, The Search For The Next Doll.

This, amazingly was actually quite a great programme to watch on Saturday mornings - the time when you just don’t want to have to use your brain. at all.

The show was perfectly timed for its broadcast in that respect. But, the reason why it was so good was because of one girl: Sisely.

She was completely unlike all the other girls on the show, who were dancers before they were singers. She was a singer first, and a sweet, red-headed one at that.

Throughout the competition, there was no chance that she would ever be made the new Pussycat Doll. Pop music just wouldn’t be able to handle her: a female who actually had opinions beyond those of which brand of lipstick is best at accentuating black eyeliner.

And, of course, she didn’t win - she was voted out in week four. It was another girl, with a name that just screams cheap - Asia - that won.

But back to Sisely. At the point when she didn’t win, there weren’t riots on the streets of the world even though, without a doubt, there should have been.

Perhaps, in the souls of everyone around the world who was saddened not to see Sisely make it to the inner circle of the Pussycats, there was the knowledge that she would go on to better things.

Look forward a year and the riots weren’t needed at all - because Sisely has found a place in the world of pop - as the lead singer of the Shiny Toy Guns, after the previous lead singer was booted out by the other members.

An emo-meets-rock-meets-electronica band from the States, their debut album We Are Pilots was nominated for a Grammy. When you’ve listened to Season of Poison, it’s hard to see why this album shouldn’t have the same privilege besieged on it, especially given the fact they have Sisely on their side; Sisely being the main reason why this album is so, so good.

Her voice just works so well alongside the riot of guitars - in the exact same way that Paramore’s brilliance is directly attributable to Hayley Williams - making this album into a heavy, pop masterpiece.