Waiting for that new Strokes album? It's not going to be around for a while, so uh, go look at someone else. Perhaps you could try a band that have been accompanying them across the West Coast of the States recently; The Realistics.

Set in the permanent sweatbox that is the Dublin Castle, The band, who have shared bills with any number of the New York illumni of the past two years with great acclaim, set about making the miniscule stage their own, with no lack of effort shown. While they may share elements of the Strokes et al, there is also more than enough to set them aside, not least a wicked twist of humour and aptitude for writing songs that go beyond the normal. 'Angie' sounds like a sex-funk Beck covering The Jam. If of course, The Jam ever got round to writing about anything as un-mundane as cross dressing; "my man Angie, he's a woman at heart" croons whippet-thin Dennis shortly after pointing at Will and informing us that "this song's about my man, here". Possibly not true, but an endearing thought. Very much like The Realistics themselves, actually.

Other major themes are inevitably girls, but it seems The Realistics pine for the black sheep of the flock: "You're such a bad girl, it's a shame I never got your name" is the lamentation on the Dandy Warhols-on-amphetamines 'Its alright, its okay'. Never a bad sign.

Occasionally the propulsive drums and bass remind of their more-famous NY brethren, but to look for a touch point, you're better off thinking about The Jam, although garnished with heady swirls of organ and all number of oscillating effects, topped off with a gratifying shot of sleaze and generally Manhattan savvy.

The main body of the set is made up of songs from their seven-track EP, but we are also graced with the appearance of a number of new tunes, the best of which is the pure pop frenzy of 'Turn Around'. That, coupled with 'Angie' and 'Why Didn't You Stay' ensure a rousing stomping finale, with the band finishing in an avalanche of organ and yelps.

"I'm sorry, we usually move around a whole lot more, but we've all got emphysema. This side of me feels like, like, shit" confides singer Dennis. An instantly forgivable revelation, with a rammed audience largely too enthralled by the combination of Buzzcock idiot-savance with razor-sharp pop genius to even notice.

They're playing again tonight and also tomorrow at the King's Cross Water Rats. See you there.