Happily, however, the Toots have been able to back their achingly on-trend style with strong storytelling and, by all accounts, a banging live show.

The Toots were formed in 2009 on a whim, when a group of musicians got together to play a gig in support of a friend's band.

As percussionist, trombone player and vocalist Giuliano Ferla tells it, the Toots did not start out with any real ambitions. They were really just in it for a laugh, performing to small audiences where they would hand out tambourines so everyone could play along.

''But people liked us, so we started taking ourselves a bit more seriously,'' he says.

Not too seriously, however, to still have a very healthy sense of fun.

Self-described as a ''foot stompin', horn honkin', go-go dancing, psychaedelic freak out'', the Toots are often more concisely termed a spaghetti-western band.

They seem to model themselves in the vein of the Puta Madre Brothers, another Melbourne band whose shtick of being a Mexican-inspired triple one-man band may have drawn interest early on, but whose infectiously upbeat live shows have made them a hit at pubs around town.

The Toots combine deep, gravelly vocals with heavily western-influenced instrumentals and horns, often played at a frenetic pace.

But there is a soul beneath the chaos, with some slower tunes within the mix.

There are five core members of the band, but they often perform with the Go Girl Gadget Go Go's, a group of beehived ladies who dance choreographed routines in sequinned dresses.

And if it all seems a bit theatrical, that makes good sense, as more than one Toots band member has a background on the stage.

That may also go some way to explaining the strong narrative arch that has run through the group's songwriting.

Their new album Outlaws, like their previous EP Curse the Crow, has a very clear story to tell.

Outlaws is about Eli Rayne, a Jewish immigrant to Australia during the gold rush years, and the misfortunes that befall him after his arrival.

The band had wanted to write songs about a misfit, and for some reason Eli was the character who stuck with them during brainstorming sessions.

Toot Toot Toots

WHEN: April 22

WHERE: The Phoenix

TICKETS: Free

■ Larissa Nicholson is a staff reporter