Since they hit paydirt with the theme tune to the Sopranos, Alabama 3 seem to have had a slight crisis in confidence, with last album Power In The Blood losing most of the Americana flavour that made Exile On Coldharbour Lane and La Peste so special. Maybe they felt like they had to ditch it as everyone knew they were just some guys from London rather than three desperados from Alabama, but thankfully they have thrown themselves back into that world again with Outlaw.

If there was any justice in the world, then sweet country acid house music would the most popular genre around, but then again it would be wasted on most people out there, so it's probably a good thing that the teachings of The Very Reverend D Wayne Love and Larry Love are kept to those of us in the know.

From Last Train to Mashville, this is an album soaked in sepia, sounding like the kind of music that would have been played in whiskey joints across the Wild West if anyone had heard of techno back then. The basis for the album was a meeting with Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds, which gave Larry Love (we refuse to call him Rob Spragg, ok?) an idea: "It occured to me that the US has a tradition of outlaw records but in England we've got nothing apart from 'Robin Hood, Robin Hood riding through the glen'". Good point, well made.

Have You Seen Bruce Richard Reynolds was written to make amends for that, even giving him the chance to add his vocals recalling famous gangsters, and also giving the song a rare English accent. There's also a sense of fun about Outlaw that was lacking from Power In The Blood, right from the cover photo to the bouncy Keep Your Shades On! and new single Hello... I'm Johnny Cash, which namechecks as many of the Man In Black's songs as it possibly can.

To perfectly sum up the diverse musical influences on Alabama 3, Up Above My Head has the drum beat to Run DMC's Walk This Way running through it. How Can I Protect You almost completely loses the Americana for electro-pop, while final track Gospel Train does exactly what it says on the tin. These crazy Cockney cowboys have been promising something really great ever since Exile On Coldharbour Lane, and with Outlaw they have actually delivered. Make sure you get down to their show at Academy 2 on the 3rd of June to testify...