THE WHEREABOUTS I Don’t Care We featured this band on the cover of our February issue and their star has been on the rise ever since. The rough and ready feel of ‘I Don’t Care’ meets a high 60’s vibe. The skiffle qualities denote something very cool in the process and they work through it to excellent effect. The nuanced way that they carry it all off is impeccable. Coming off the back of that is ‘Money & Fame’. The brash steering of the running drives it on. Resonating guitar riffs whip it in to shape, while the select manner of the vocals lights it all up as they are carried off on the back of some incredibly sharp lyrics. Here the band very much keeps the running in check. Then we come to ‘Let Go Of The Brakes’ and the rich blues influence is anticipated in the expression. The harmonica and all the other elements build the anticipation in the delivery. In doing so they seem to fasten it all together with true style but it seems to capture the spirit of the intentions superbly. From the opening, ‘We’re On The Run’ hits the ground running. The focus and sharpness shows something slick but it is backed up by the substance on show. The clean way the vocals seem to spill forth capture the charge and intensify it all to excellent effect. ‘Emmaline’ is blessed with a solid intro that grabs you in the way that great tunes can. But in the manner it drops down they seem to have a Beach Boys vibe going on. The glossy appeal abounds but it is incredibly fluid with the playing allowed to develop being the reason that they comfortably find their groove. You get taken up with ‘Roadrunner’ from the off. It is a confident number that the band comfortably piece together. The American influences come to pass on this one and this has a rich texture to it that is mirrored by final track ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’. The shuffle in the running is practical but what impresses the most here is the way things cleverly get underneath the showing from the off. A catchy rhythm tolls away here but it is not a case of carefree meandering. Instead it follows direction and focus and settles down to the task at hand with real aplomb.
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.......................................................................................................................... DR MINDFLIP
Every Waking Moment Here is an EP that has a large degree of contemporary elements at work but they seem to work to fine effect. The slide on show carries through on ‘Rootless’ and the jazz style works in an impressive way. It moves through in a determined way but one that engages an approach that is all about the expression. Coming off the back of that is ‘All Time Low’. The telecast vocals seem to enhance the enigmatic touches on the intro. The upbeat tempo carries through with a sense of ease that relatively comes to pass and is rattled off in an inspired way that cleverly comes to pass. The third track ‘Took A Walk’ has an unmistakeable jazz feel about it all. The relativity in the structures comes together and carries everything off in an impressive way. The traipsed feel of the vocals is an additional touch of charm that conveys the artistic merit fairly. The final track is ‘Grey Day’ and shows a more cautious approach at work. The neat flow of the intro situates that in a virtuous way. It is kneaded through in a passive way and they seem to focus it all in how it seems to draw it out before adding a sense of urgency in the later progressions.
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