The Proclaimers - Like Comedy

Nowadays, when people hear of The Proclaimers, their memories turn to Peter Kay and Matt Lucas' use of '500 Miles' for Comic Relief. However, the brothers Reid are far more than just a comic pair themselves (despite their resemblance to Frankie Boyle), often producing melodic ditties in the mould of the delightful

. Can their ninth studio album continue the trend?

Well, certainly tracks like the jolly

show the duo's lost none of their skill, creating neat slices of three minute toe-tappers still that sit neatly with their best. Elsewhere, the gospel-tinged 'After You're Gone' showcases the pair's move towards a more bombastic, epic sound, while the rocky pace of 'The Thought of You' proves they're not frightened to move out of their comfort zone, albeit only slightly.

However Like Comedy is let down a touch by the slower numbers, something the band were never particularly famous for. The relatively tame 'Simple Things' and closer 'A Mix' do little to suggest the band do better with up-tempo numbers, something the poppy 'Wherever You Roam' showcases pretty well.

So for those still fondly remembering the duo for previous chirpy hits, Like Comedy at least shows there's still plenty of life in this comic pair and that's something their songs are still happy to proclaim.