As intoxicated by language as the wild nightlife he forensically dissects, Gene’s Martin Rossiter writes songs in which his cautious inner monologue is overwhelmed by the excitement of untamed youth. This mix of exuberance and poetic social critique struck a chord with disaffected The Smiths fans, many of whom claimed Rossiter as a natural heir to Morrissey’s bookish crown. But it also suited the Kinks-iest end of ‘90s Britpop, with guitarist Steve Mason providing a bullish mod soundtrack of rowdy indie rock that dissolves into swooning soul at the drop of a hat.