What a ride it's been for The Datsuns. One minute they're drivin' the coolest vehicle on the road, the next minute they more resemble a train wreck. I didn't mind their last effort ('Outta Sight/Outta Mind'), but it would appear I was in the minority. The tag of 'next big thing' is some pretty heavy baggage to be lugging round, but with said luggage flung out the window The Datsuns are back concentrating on writing quality songs. Recorded in the UK and engineered by Kiwi Nick Abbott, 'Smoke & Mirrors' is a punchy, 10-track affair which the band self-produced. From the moment Who Are You Stamping Your Foot For? and System Overload come screaming outta the speakers, it's clear the tank is full for this ride. The stomping rock of tracks like these is tempered by the use of un-Datsun'like embellishments like gospel singers, keyboards and slide gats to provide the most balanced album they've done. There might not be an NME cover this time round, but I think they've made their point.