Passionate fans of Alabama 3 will try to convince you they are the greatest band you've never heard.

Best known for composing The Sopranos theme tune, this motley crew from Brixton - who have pseudonyms such as Larry Love and Rock Freebass - fuse country and blues with modern club beats. Unfortunately, while entertaining and endearing in places, Outlaw takes the Alabama 3 joke too far.

Built around a melange of country, bluegrass, swamp blues and homegrown techno, it attempts to celebrate British outlaw culture. But with the exception of the infectious, Hello... I'm Johnny Cash, it badly misfires. Their ironic musical pastiche of the spirit of the Wild West sounds like an unfunny joke being told over and over again. Or in this case, sung.

Updated: 12:44 Thursday, May 26, 2005