Who-endorsed suburban diarists take a stand for the common man.

Having supported the Bluetones, Kentish power trio The Standard Lamps were adopted by the Who for their 2014 Arena tour, on which charismatic and chatty frontman Mike Wilton, a lightly bearded, cardigan-wearing young Townshen-alike, faced the 10,000-strong crowds as if he was playing in a front room.

Their first ‘proper’ LP, given a sparky mix by Who/Manics engineer Sean Genockey, has an equally at-home feel, its tales of life in the English suburbs (one song is disarmingly called Living With Mum And Dad) recalling the unguarded lyrical candour of early Difford or Weller and the neat song craft of The Jam, Costello and Gallagher. Titles such as The Model World and 12:15 might echo others’ past glories but they’re still perfect creations in their own right – and boy, the Lamps’ crunching power-rock digressions are a thing to treasure.

Pat Gilbert, MOJO