Despite being based in LA The Mansions owe their sound more to the British bands of the last 20 years rather than the music of their surrounding areas. In Eddie O they have a modern version of Bauhaus's Pete Murphy in their ranks. In a tale of wounded of love on 'Under The Sky' he leads the line well with a godlike presence, then there's 'Little Atomic Bomb' the strongest track here but it would have been even stronger if they'd reduced it by half its length for the album. It is on these tracks and 'Love And Other Rituals' where their restraint rather than sheer bombast pays dividends. Overall, 'Charms For Love And Revenge' recalls at various times Suede and Pulp in equal measure, covering the grandiose yet slightly seedy side of the music world. At the moment this long player is a good enough indication of a growing talent. The trick they must now master is how to streamline their influences into their own identity and capitalise on the commercial potential which they so obviously possess.