Please Mum, I Need My Sugar Hit!

Literally forming two hours before their first show on February 14, 2005, Hotpants Romance is a Brit-chick, garage/punk trio from Manchester, U.K. Originally, after a band backed out of a gig at the last minute, the idea was to play once a year on Valentine's Day. But, after their 2 1/2 song live debut, they were a hit.

Finally, after releasing their first tape in 2005, selling out all fifty copies and releasing their demo EP in 2006, band members Lowri Evans on bass, Laura Skilbeck on guitar and Kate Armitage on drums have released their first official album on Athens, Georgia record label Happy, Happy Birthday To Me.

It's a Heatwave is simple, fast and loud. In fact, not a one of the girls can sing very well but they sound so cute with their British accents, you learn to ignore it. I guess you don't have to be able to carry a tune if all you're going to do is yell and scream. And that's what they do; which, to their credit, some of the most successful musicians in the industry can't sing. Look at Bob Dylan. That's not to say their songwriting is brilliant, because it isn't. Yet, there is something about this band that is appealing. They're fun. This album is fun. It's not meant to be taken seriously and the band knows that. After all, they did form quite by accident.

The twelve tracks that comprise It's a Heatwave are all under 2 1/2 minutes, with three of them under a minute long but each is memorable in their own way.

"Hotpants No Chance," the first song on the album, is perhaps the closest thing to talent on the record. It's a steady stream of clean, jangly guitar rock about...well...hotpants romance. "Heatwave," fourth in the lineup of garage-pop tunes, consists of two sentences: It's a heatwave (repeat three times) and "Don't get burnt." Don't worry.I didn't.

At worst, Hot Pants Romance arouses curiosity. At best, they might just become your new favorite band.

Hotpants Romance plays Tuesday night at JJ's Bohemia along with Cars Can Be Blue and the Burberries.