Dalston grunge

There's been an emergent guitar scene in the UK for the last couple of years, with its London base in Dalston. The papers have called it the grunge revival, which I'm sure pisses the bands off. It's not completely off the mark though. The bands (Male Bonding, Mazes, Pens, Wavves, Spectrals) have been known to wield Jagstangs and Jazzmasters, a sure reference to the early '90s. Also, dare I say it, there's the odd plaid shirt on display. I think it's quite exciting, partly because I was a sucker for grunge the first time round, and partly because the scene is genuinely open and friendly. Gone is the haughty hipness inspired by retro-rockers like The Strokes. Instead, the bands and fans actually let themselves go and display a far more inclusive attitude. It's all DIYish and fun. The best bands are Mazes, Spectrals (especially live) and Male Bonding. The latter are signed to Sub Pop, which I can't help thinking is sort of great too.