*Two Day Rule *are a feisty Bristolian boy-girl punk combo. Comprising of Neil Murray (lead vocals/guitar), Andrea Kenny, who vies with him for top billing, Craig Smith (bass) and Matt Woolman (drums), they've built up a small racket of enthusiasm for their accomplished punk _sensibilities _and crazy live sets.

Their debut album, released on SugarShack Records, begins on what seems to be a whimpered note. The likeable 'Odds and Ends' and 'No Doubt', which have me merely nodding with appreciation, do not bode extremely hansomely for the rest of the songs. Eager anticipation leads me to recent single, 'Had a Good Thing', which like what I've heard before is indescribable, but likeable, it's acerbic lyrics, about 'i want to get into your pants' being the only standout from the wall of sound. Flipside of the single, 'Space', is more reflective, with a thrashier sound and the tinny ring of the drum cymbal and maracas provide an interesting background to the centre piece - Andrea's vocals.

The Ska-Punk, Bluesy Jazz-funk fusion of 'Johnny and Loretta' provide the first sign of originality to lift this band out of mediocre punk. This is the clear winner on an album packed with smoothed out peaks and troughs. 'Better Off Now' is a 60-esque number with more of the jazz and less of the funk. The justaposition of this with the trashier 'I'll be Just Fine', reminiscent of Bis at their heyday, works well. Reggae beats also make an apperance. Highlight number two is 'Sympathetic', full of guitar noodling and the vocal spirit of Blink 182's Tom De Longe - pop-punk at it's very best. Part Two, ending with the excellent 80's pastiche 'Too Good to be True', rounds off a real game of two halves..the second by far outshining the first.