The Crimea - a five piece from London - must be wondering why they've yet to hit it big. They've done several things right, winning the praise of the late John Peel for one of their early singles Lottery Winners On Acid (the great man called it 'one of the best songs I've heard in years') and getting noticed at South By Southwest in 2003, which promptly won them a record deal with Warner.

Their musical references are in good shape - the invigorating, widescreen rock of last year's debut album Tragedy Rocks takes in early My Morning Jacket and the overwrought gothic vision of the sadly neglected Six By Seven - while Davey MacManus's spine-tingling songwriting is stuffed with enough twisted hooks to hang an entire wardrobe on.

MacManus himself tends toward lyrics of the dark, bleeding heart variety which his band are unafraid to translate into equally impassioned performances, although, as Peel himself spotted, they are also more than capable of knocking out a great jangly pop song.

Despite this, things have gone relatively slowly for the band, with the release of Tragedy Rocks barely raising a whimper. Yet with the re-released Lottery Winner scoring a No. 31 hit earlier this month - hey, it's a start - The Crimea's slow burn campaign is starting to work. Catch them tonight, help them on their way.

Tonight, Windmill, 122 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton Hill SW2, 7.30pm, £5 (limited availability). Tel: 020 8671 0700. Tube: Brixton