RISING from the ashes of the once-hyped Algernon Doll, the anticipation surrounding Glaswegian pop punk duo WOMPS, aka Ewan Grant and Owen Wicksted, has been brewing steadily for months, both here and across the pond.

In fact, it is precisely this interest in the US that resulted in them recording their debut LP  Our Fertile Forever, at Electric Audio with the legendary Steve Albini, and releasing it on Brooklyn-based label Displaced Records.

Laying down each track live, they’ve captured the immediate energy that they intended and hope to transfer onstage with their forthcoming UK tour. That said, the grungy, DIY feel of the record does not harm their aspiration to create radiant, alternative pop, but rather enhances it.

On opener ‘Plasticine’, the bass-heavy introduction is matched with a cute, jangly guitar melody, which, alongside Grant’s vocals and sulky lyrics, invites obvious comparisons to The Cure. Both tracks from their initial AA, ‘Live A Little Less’ and ‘Dreams On Demand’, are definite highlights; certainly the most lo-fi sounding with their scuzzy, relentless drive, and repressed, wobbly vocals.

Explosive tracks like ‘Cavity’ and ‘Another Cell’ are balanced by the apparent serenity of others. Yet, although instrumentally gentle, Grant’s lyrics are almost always bleak and depressing, singing on ‘How Are You?’, “There is no such thing as love, just dependence or independence.”

The influence of the American punk scene, both past and present, on WOMPS is quite clear. What they bring with Our Fertile Forever is a unique, angsty Glaswegian twist that encapsulates the excitement of their live show, and leaves you begging for more.

Our Fertile Forever is out on Friday 10th June, via Displaced Records, with the album launch at Stereo on Saturday 11th. Support comes from Pinact, Lost Limbs, and Milktoast. Tickets are free via Synergy Concerts.