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The album was spearheaded by a handful of excellent singles (“Stutter,” “Line Up,” “Connection,” “Waking Up”), but the album is crammed with first-class tracks, several of which could have been used as singles as well. One of the most riveting things about this album, apart from the great overall-package, is the interplay of the band, and especially between Justine Frischmann and Donna Matthews, both trading off hooky and jerky guitar riffs, while Annie Holland (bass) and Justin Welch (drums, man) keep things going as well. “Line Up” immediately introduces that terrific noisy guitar interplay, both guitar players complementing each other with their spiky slashes during the verses. Of note are also the song’s lyrics, that are – like a large part of the album – concerned with kinky sex, in this case a groupie’s adventures (“Drivel head knows all the stars, loves to suck their shining guitars, they’ve all been right up her stairs, do you care?”). “Stutter,” the album’s first single is even better, a fast song with great hooks and lyrics (dealing with impotence this time: “Well it isn’t a problem, nothing we can’t keep between the sheets, tell me you’re mine, love, and I will not wait for other bed-time treats”), and one of the best British singles of the past twenty years (yes, I’m serious). The third single, “Connection,” caused some commotion because it’s an almost exact copy of Wire’s “Three Girl Rhumba” (from Pink Flag), and led to a dispute that was eventually settled out of court. I really don’t care either way, because the band does turn it into a great song of its own. Granted, they could have acknowledged it in the liner notes. Several songs also feature some keyboards played by Dan Abnormal, which is, of course (you figured that one out for yourself, didn’t you?) an anagram of Damon Albarn, Frischmann’s partner at the time. The album’s fourth and last (?) single was “Waking Up,” perhaps the most retro-ish new wave-track on the album, one that takes you back to the heyday of bands such as Magazine and Echo & The Bunnymen.Besides the four singles, the album contains some more damn good wave tracks such as “Car Song,” the most infectious song about car sex ever (with the possible exception of AC/DC’s “Girl’s Got Rhythm”), with horny outspokenness (“I hardly know you, but I think I’m going to, let’s go siesta in your Ford Fiesta”), and one of my favorite lines: “In every little Honda, there may lurk a Peter Fonda.” Also “S.O.F.T.” and “Never Here,” two lengthier tracks (only four out of 16 cross the 3-minute border), have some excitingly strutting guitar work, nice vocal harmonies and style galore. While “Stutter” may be the best punk song on the album, several others are worthy contenders: “Blue” and “All-Nighter” are more fun than the entire Blink-182-catalogue (those hooks, those exalted moans in the latter!), while the trio of “Annie,” “Smile” and “Vaseline” all clock in under 1:40 and will get your ass numb for the rest of the day.The album’s not an entire triumph, though. “Hold Me Now” isn’t very exciting, although it deals with intercourse, and the eastern-tinged “Indian Song,” with percussion very similar to that in The Beatles’ “Within You, Without You,” is as exciting as watching a game of cricket on a Sunday afternoon with a hangover. However, despite these details, Elastica is still an album that seems to rush by in 20 minutes, thanks to the excellent song sequencing (and 16 songs in 40 minutes isn’t bad either), loads of memorable hooks, melodies, lyrics and (gotta admit it) the irresistible sexiness of Justine Frischmann’s delivery and playing.