Let’s Wrestle: In The Court Of The Wrestling Let’s

It’s difficult not to be charmed by a band that begins a song called “I Won’t Lie To You” with the line, “No matter how many records I buy, I just can’t fill this void.” (Not to mention one that pronounces it “vo-o-oid.”) That’s a typical Let’s Wrestle moment, as might be expected from an album titled after King Crimson’s 1969 bow. But the geekily amateurish indie splatter-pop of the young London trio couldn’t sound more different than Crimson’s heavy prog.

In The Court Of The Wrestling Let’s is full of guitar amps that sound about to collapse (“I’m In Love With Destruction”), just like guitarist-singer-songwriter Wesley Patrick Gonzalez frequently does. (See “My Schedule.”) Gonzalez is a romantic, tipping his hat to Roy Orbison on “In Dreams” and penning the upbeat “We Are The Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon,” in which he croaks, “We are the most reliable guys in the world” and offers to buy drinks. He’s so smart and winning, it’d be a shame to say no.