Scotland’s Dogs Die In Hot Cars share some of the manic energy of The Futureheads and Franz Ferdinand. Unfortunately what sets them apart, aside from the absolutely terrible band name, is their dorkiness. Take the first cut, “Godhopping.” It’s not a bad tune, but it sounds like an unholy union of ELO, Men At Work, XTC and Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Yes, that could be awesome, but this is too grating. “Lounger” evokes Big Country and a nineties band so bad I dare not speak its name. The herky-jerky ska-lite single “I Love You Cause I Have To,” however, dishes out the pleasure relatively free of aerosol cheese product.
“Celebrity Sanctum” starts out as a laugh about celebrity crushes, but the clever arrangements and genuinely moving choruses transcend the song into something much more wistful, and the best song on the album. By “Paul Newman’s Eyes,” the band has managed to establish a somewhat consistent aural identity, thanks partially to the production duo Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (China Crisis, Aztec Camera and Haircut 100). Even a seemingly lesser tune like “Pastimes And Lifestyles” proves to be a grower, with surprisingly sophisticated melodies and lyrics, like a more rocking version of the brainy Housemartins. While Please Describe Yourself doesn’t impress all the way through, it’s enough to cautiously bode for future promise
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