Rotherham, Great Britain's thisGIRL have led a modestly successful albeit young career, yet ask one outside of the UK about the group and you'd most likely be met with a blank stare. Though such an occurrence may be unfortunate, times may be on the verge of changing. After paying their dues opening for the likes of the Deftones, Glassjaw and Pitchshifter, this eclectic quartet has returned with "UNO", an album capable of carrying the moniker 'break-through', as its collection of irresistible space-rock and Euro-pop illuminates a band overflowing with genuine talent.

ThisGIRL tread in water that is somehow equal parts Britpop and psychedelic rock with a light jazz touch, sharing a common bond with such disparate acts as Maroon 5, Biffy Clyro and even Queens Of The Stone Age. The quartet are proficient in an assortment of musical styles and often leapfrog from one to another in the course of an individual song, yet never do they lose sight of their intended goal of creating a collection of dynamic hits. As such the listener can relax and enjoy melodic rock transform first into clever pop and then acerbic post-punk without worrying that the album is collapsing in the process. Underlying nuances bring to mind influences of the Led Zeppelin and Faith No More type, yet these dalliances are of the intangible sort and never does the album resort to spiraling into imitation.

The enigmatic rock songs captured on "UNO" are deliciously catchy without feeling artificially hollow, as the only thing stronger than the plethora of hooks found throughout this effort is the musicianship of its four members. Their embrace of a more experimental form of modern rock that shrugs off the trappings of the mainstream and indulges in a spacey post-hardcore vein could land the group a tagline as 'the UK's answer to Cave In'. While such a comparison is fitting, it should in no way overshadow the obvious talents thisGIRL possess. The aural confections served on "UNO" unveil a band who continue to rise out of the European rock circuit, and given the direction being taken on this adventurous effort, these Rotherham gents have clearly established that they are second to none.