What is it about Newport and miserable bands? Old Garbo are another group from the city that specialise in 'melcopop', or melancholic pop.

And damn good they are, too, going on their debut album Walking On All Flaws, released last week.

The bulk of the album is played by Russell Prothero (pictured), a multi-instrumentalist and song-writer.

They're a bit Muse, a bit Radiohead, but have enough of their own failed relationships to inject some originality.

They get a bit Coldplay on Asking Why, with strings and a gruelling sense of the tender.

There are also surprisingly upbeat moments which bring in brass instruments, as on Sue.

The album as a whole is an adventurous endeavour with 11 well-produced and arranged tracks.

It's been released on South Walian label Spitoon.co.uk more on whom can be found at www.spitoon.co.uk

The band is named after the Dylan Thomas story Old Garbo. They formed in 2002 and have played in Barfly and OTTs, among other venues.

Russell was previously in The Wild Family band, which split up in 1996.

He has also directed a video for Old Garbo track Like Nothing, which is available at the website above.

The album is available at www.cdbaby.com or www.fopp.co.uk and Diverse Music, 10 Charles St, Newport.