With a sound directly inspired by the likes of the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Shop Assistants, and the Primitives, a black-and-blonde fashion sense, and a knack for buzzy three-minute guitar pop tunes, the Manhattan Love Suicides are an unapologetic throwback to the sound of the British indie scene from 20 years before their time. They even took their name from a 1985 short film by Richard Kern, the "transgressive" New York filmmaker. The Manhattan Love Suicides formed in the northern British city of Leeds in January 2006, and in keeping with the C-86 tradition, the quartet members insist on using only their first names in the press and on their records: the singer is Caroline, the guitarist is Darren, the bassist is Adam (who in a shocking breach of protocol dares to use his full name, Adam John Miller, on his MySpace page), and the drummer is Eddy. Caroline and Darren have run the tiny label Squirrel Records since 2001, releasing a steady string of primarily vinyl LPs and 7" singles by a wide variety of punk, garage, and indie pop groups, including Caroline and Darren's own first band, the obscure Pop Threat. The Manhattan Love Suicides' self-titled debut album was released on CD by Magic Marker Records in late 2006, with a limited-edition vinyl edition featuring two extra songs on Squirrel Records in 2007. To appease fans' demand for songs from the Manhattan Love Suicides' back catalog, Burnt Out Landscapes, a 27-track compilation of their 3" and 7" singles and radio performances, was released in July of 2008, along with four new recordings. ~ Stewart Mason