Buckfast are the kind of band that could only have come from the USA. Suggesting influences such as Stone Roses, U2 and Muse only tell a small part of the story; although they do embrace a widescreen rock ethic and a similar air of confidence. More tellingly, this record was produced by Dave Schiffman whose CV includes the likes of Audioslave and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Unsurprisingly then, this is "big rock", imbued with sun-kissed atmospheres and a frontman whose throaty roar tries manfully to emulate Chris Cornell but ends up sounding more like The Mission's Wayne Hussey. 'Ca.' - their homage to the state where they made this record - is the first sign of their qualities; hooky guitars compete with Rian Riddle's swooping vocal theatrics, whilst the anthemic 'Awake From Here', 'Lost Again' and 'Waiting Here For You' prove that, at heart, they just want to write old-fashioned rock melodies. On the debit side, however, there a few songs where Riddle strains too hard on the mic; almost as if he's compensating for the weaknesses of the less memorable songs. Overall, it's a record which should be better received in their homeland than the UK but - like the debut by Violet Nine - it proves left-of-centre American rock still has a future.