Limbo, Panto

In the tradition of the Kinks, the Television Personalities, and the Arctic Monkeys, Wild Beasts wear their Englishness on their sleeves. The key element in this otherwise standard-issue indie guitar band is lead singer Hayden Thorpe, whose startling falsetto leaps and fondness for highfalutin language to describe prosaic street scenes make him the 21st-century spawn of Sparks' Russell Mael and Morrissey. Exceedingly clever without being pretentious, LIMBO PANTO is a whimsical and endearing debut.