In the promotional materials for ‘Mrs. Ladyships and The Cleanerhouse Boys’, The Smashing Times ask the pressing question: “How many times can you really watch ‘Blow Up’ alone in your room?”, before suggesting that their fifth album presents the work of “your new favourite Mod band”. Although, for the unaware, this might conjure thoughts of discovering an underground phenomenon in the mould of Secret Affair, or perhaps The Len Price 3, the Baltimore band is potentially setting the unsuspecting listener up for a fall. Beyond its grand title and fanciful claims, ‘Mrs. Ladyships…’ offers a world of similar sounds to prior Smashing Times long players, in that any 60s influences are offset by some fairly lo-fi production values.

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