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It's a fair enough assumption to say that you must have been living under a rather large rock for the best part of a year to have no idea who Kids In Glass Houses are. With swooping choruses, an unavoidable romance with the alternative rock press, and a very loyal friendship with everyone's favourite Welsh boyos Lost Prophets, it'd be easy to say that the five boys hailing from Cardiff's neighbouring valleys were nothing more than one of the most successful outfits to emerge from last year's UK pop punk explosion. However, with their debut album, the aptly named 'Smart Casual' released late last month, it's time to decipher whether Kids In Glass Houses really live up to the tornado of hype that has surrounded them thus far.

Opening track 'Fisticuffs' is a slice of melodic genius; a relatable theme of feeling alone, that is sure to have the heartbroken and unlucky in love singing along in perfect unison when the band's current tour calls into town. Previous single 'Easy Tiger', and forthcoming release 'Give Me What I Want' are up next, placed in early to provide a little stability to the album, whilst giving us all a chance for a sing-song before yet another brand new track seeps from the speakers. 'Saturday' follows - yet another foot stomper - undeniable in its assault on our awaiting ears. A song that seems to be a little more for dancing, but a lot more as the revenge song of choice, after those heartbroken youths have purged all sadness from their systems.

There's a beautiful moment at the beginning of track number five, when all that can be heard are front man Aled Philip's soothing vocals, and a casual drum beat, where it seems as though 'Lovely Bones' might be a song a little different from what we were expecting, but within a few moments the band's recognisable sounds flood in. 'Shameless' has a ring to it that many a pop punk band nowadays encapsulate, a more than slight American twang that some would blame on one too many stateside heroes. Yet, as the opening notes of 'Girls' play out, any other comments are lost as the summery beat wins out, and it becomes impossible to not move in time. It's at this point that you realise this album will most likely be the only CD you're going to need to hear this summer, and it's a moment that's filled with a strange relief, and a little comfort.

'Good Boys Gone Rad' and 'Dance All Night' are as inescapable as expected, reflecting the clever penmanship we've grown to love from such cheeky scamps. 'Pillow Talk' is the defining song of the album, as it keeps to every promise 'Lovely Bones' seemed to conjure. A slow and witty tale of youth, it's gentle in both lyrics and melody, and if anything, shows the mature side the rest of the album seemed to be missing, although, in all honesty, such maturity wasn't missed until the final throws of this song were echoing. Finishing up the album are 'Raise Hell', and 'Church Tongue', the first a song that features a line so fitting it's impossible to miss, 'Perfect examples of everything young people should be' possibly sums up the ethic of Kids In Glass Houses better than any of them could have ever imagined.

It's most certainly not that the band are replaceable or even that the similarity to other pop punk bands of today is too overwhelming to allow a real chance at listening, it's more that, upon first listen of most recognisable tune to date 'Give Me What I Want', you build a grandeur that'd take a band of enormous ego and very little tact to create. But, Kids In Glass Houses are neither of those things. They're a band of fun loving, hard working boys who enjoy what they do, simply because they're doing it, and for that, we have to thank them. They may not be the changing face of music, nor the most challenging of bands to hear, but they're good at what they do, and they know so, they're a band that have taken their time to achieve all they have, and deserve every ounce of it, and their dependability and subtle talent will keep them at the top of their game, long after the more controversial faces have faded into obscurity. If 'Smart Casual' shows us anything, it's that, when that day comes, we all really need to be paying attention.