There is a scene in Blackadder Goes Forth in which, faced with the prospect of George representing his defence in a court martial, Blackadder doubts his friend's "brand of mindless optimism will contribute much to the proceedings." George replies that this is a shame. He was "hoping to play the mindless optimism card pretty strongly."

The brilliantly named Mild Mannered Janitors share his strategy: "Would it be so wrong of me/to follow all I want to be?" they ask in "Stop Me Dancing". Meanwhile, in "Learn to Fly", the aeronautical advice is offered "'cos I guess you're feeling down". Later songs feature the lyrics "No earthly constraints/I'm dining with saints" (In My World) and the raucous come-and-'ave-a-go-if-you-think-you're-hard-enough delivery of "Weigh In" blasts out at you: "No pride to hide, not my first time/Short on thick skin, just let me win."

It's certainly a welcome respite from the bleak miserablism of bands like Radiohead.

Not that everything is rosy in the Janitors' back garden. Far from it. Things certainly do go wrong. "Know Her" tells the story of someone who's in love, but can't work out what to do about it. Elsewhere, there are references to hiding behind masks with "this ain't no fools facade/it's my bodyguard" (Such a Fool), and the mourning for a dying relationship (How it used to be).

But even here, there are rays of hope with simple lines like "Don't look so worried" and "I'm only making you think it's all right." With such a philosophy, the Janitors could find themselves in the same league Clearlake. Compare any of the above songs' lyrics with "Treat Yourself With Kindness", and you'll see what I mean.

In other places, however, the comparisons with Clearlake are null and void. In the final song on #1 Superguy, Trevor Brown sings, "I sense you sense this making no sense at all." And you could be inclined to agree with him.

With dubious lyrics like "a changing rhyme/I feel like nine" and desperate phrase twisting in the form of "oh my feet, I haven't found", you wonder whether they are trying too hard, not enough or, somehow, both.

Frequently words are given up entirely in favour of the staples of "ooo-ooo-ooo", "nah-nah-nah" and "ah-ah-ah". These vary in success. If a couple of "nah-nahs" can work for Oasis and The Beatles, why shouldn't they be able to work on the brazen rockiness of "Weigh In"?

Unfortunately, "How It Used To Be" and the over-stretched out lyrics of "In My World" are not as successful. Handel got away with it when he wrote the Hallelujah and Amen Choruses. He called it Melisma. With the Janitors, you can't help feeling that they just ran out of words.

Musically, the MMJs are an intriguing combination of boy band and rock band. Imagine, particularly with the second track "Rattleshake", the unlikelihood of Blue singing along to a Rage Against the Machine bass line and you are somewhere near the Janitors' sound.

In other songs, such as "Learn to Fly", you could almost be mistaken for believing that Elliott Smith had plugged himself into an amplifier and got a little bit carried away. Meanwhile, with the beautiful lilting Spanish sounds of "97/98", it sounds like Gene have taken lessons in Flamenco dancing.

Throughout all the songs close harmony is much in evidence. After a while, this may grate (particularly with the endless repeat of the same phrase in "Rattleshake"), but you can, at least, content yourself with the rocking bass line.

With such characteristics, it is clear that the Mild Mannered Janitors are at their best when not restricted to the confines of the recording studio. Give them a gig, lots of loudspeakers and an enthusiastic audience, and the Mild Manner Janitors might clean up well.

17/07/03 - First published on www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire on this link