Morning Runner have been biting at the heels of indie music's big-guns for a while now.

With their latest single, Burning Benches, the Reading four-piece have adopted a rather disappointing "if you can't beat them join them" attitude.

It's a backwards step - this record wouldn't even have been considered original five years ago.

It starts with a gentle piano intro with a tortured solo vocal, and then suddenly a crescendo of guitars and drums kick in Sound familiar? It will to Chris Martin

In fact it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that this could easily be Coldplay or Embrace or Snow Patrol or Keane or Feeder (I could go on).

Released February 20, 2006.

Andrew Blackshire