EP REVIEW: We Know Not What We Do - Shooting Stansfield

Edinburgh-based 4-piece Shooting Stansfield have been busy recently and are about to hit the scene in a big way with their new EP 'We Know Not What We Do'. 

The 5-track player showcases the band's unique talent for creating melodic, meaningful songs. Drawing on influences from fellow Scottish talent such as Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow, they've managed to create something that'll surely be a hit amongst indie folk fans and industry insiders alike. 

Infectious guitars, strong lyrics and rich layers are littered throughout this EP. The 5 tracks each demand, and stand up to, replay and will no doubt be summer sing-along tunes. The rich melodic sounds show a great talent for making music that will please your audience and stay with them. The stories of the end of the youth make the EP incredibly relatable to their target audience and their talent at putting these stories together through meaningful lyrics, and rich, layered melodies puts them on the very brink of making it big, following those bands who they've drawn their influences from. 

The EP is strong from start to finish, with each track shining as you listen through. However a particular highlight is the first single, 'Greater or Lesser', which showcases the band's ability to masterfully layer all the elements of a strong indie folk track, and has some of the best lyrics on EP. It is rousing, big track with a big early impact on the player and will definitely make a brilliant standalone single for the EP. And it is followed by 'Sign of the Times' which is a folk hit in the making, that means those same bands who have influenced Shooting Stansfield had better watch their backs because they have all it takes to go big.  

'We Know Not What We Do' will be released on June 7th via download and physical CD. It can be purchased via Bandcamp.

The band will be launching the EP at Sneaky Pete's in Edinburgh on the same day as the release. It all starts at 7pm, with support from Titus Pullo and Waterday. All details can be found here.

EP REVIEW: Burning Youth - Cherri Fosphate

Ready to make their mark on the Glasgow music scene, Cherri Fosphate release their 'Burning Youth' EP on May 11th via CTN Records.

The 4-track player is a good insight into what the indie-rock band can do. There's danceable tunes aplenty and anthems for the contemporary youth. The EP has the catchy hooks and infectious guitars that will grip listeners from the get-go, and is the key to successful indie-rock. The band have clearly drawn from a lot of influences but manage to make their own unique sound. 

The standout track is 'Wool', which whilst being the shortest of all the tracks on the EP makes the biggest impression and suggests that this band have a bright future ahead of them. It's a toe-tapping and danceable 2 and a half minutes and you can get it free via Soundcloud.

Cherri Fosphate launch 'Burning Youth' on May 11th at Broadcast in Glasgow. Details can be found via the Facebook event.

EP REVIEW: Half Jacks - Half Jacks

Released near-on 2 years ago, the Half Jack's self-titled debut EP is probably the oldest release I've reviewed for this blog. They are currently recording new material, but this EP is a good starting point.

Punk cabaret may be a niche genre, but in a city with as wide music offerings as Glasgow, there's definitely got to be a crowd for this. I must admit that my interest was piqued by punk cabaret immediately.

The 5-track EP draws from wide influences, but has its own unique sound. The third track 'Reasons for The Unexplained' is a particular highlight, with the layering of strong lyrics, guitars and keys. Finding the right balance in these layers can be difficult but for a young band Half Jacks do this particularly well. 

Running just over 16 minutes this EP has definite replay-ability, featuring infectious guitars and great vocal work. It is definitely worth checking out.

You can listen to the EP via soundcloud and buy it for £3 on bandcamp.

EP REVIEW: Antipathy - GUMS!

Describing themselves as a tenuous super group with members from Orphans, Collar Up and The Plimptons (RIP), GUMS! return with a new free EP this month. 

The 6-track 'Antipathy' is loud and proud, and features many catchy hooks that could win over even the harshest critic. 

The EP showcases the band's ability to delicately balance the vocals, and put each of their vocal talents to right uses. All three vocalists are given a chance to shine and each song is backed with infectious guitars that will have the listener bopping along. 

'New Year' has particularly catchy hooks and is the early highlight of the EP. 'Function Suite' has a slow build before 30 seconds in, it becomes loud and proud and a big anthem. 'Luckless Days' gives the lone female vocal a chance to shine, with lyrics that we can all connect with. The finale 'Dancing in Your Room' leads to doing just that, making it the standout indie pop track on the EP. 

You can get 'Antipathy' for free now on bandcamp.

REVIEW - Have Plenty of Fun - Fake Major

From the ashes of Endor (the Glasgow band, not the Star Wars planet), rises Fake Major and their debut EP. Made up of David McGinty and Richard Ferguson, this latest project launched in early February and has been steadily making waves in the Scottish scene. 'Have Plenty of Fun' is a 4-track player that is surely going to see them rise further.

The opening track is 'Little Researcher', which was released as the band launched and came with a brilliant music video (you can watch below). This track works as an excellent first taster of this new project and it's certainly pleasing but it's not the best that this EP has to offer.

The strongest songs on EP are the two middle tracks, 'Fiction' and 'Cotton and Ink', both of which are lyrically stunning and have the beautifully arranged, and mastered, layers of sound to match. They may be indie pop tunes but they pack a punch and it is these tracks specifically that I believe are give the best impression of what we can come to expect from Fake Major in the future. 'Cotton and Ink' is one of the best tracks I've heard this year so far, the lyrics shine through as the music becomes much more of a backdrop but as the track builds to its close, we are treated to layers of beautifully sonic guitars, pianos, drums and a violin and lyrics you'll be singing back in no time.

The closer 'Love in the Mundane' has some of my favourite lyrics on the EP and could certainly be a hit indie pop single. It is a toe-tapping folk tune but with the elements that maje Fake Major stand out, making it much more than just another song from another Glasgow indie-folk band. It is anything but mundane.

'Have Plenty of Fun' is a masterful debut EP, showing lots of promise and already establishes Fake Major as a band to watch out for. With this release they are not likely to stay a hidden gem for long.

'Have Plenty of Fun' will be released by Comets and Cartwheels, physically on April 20th and digitally on May 1st.

Fake Major will be playing in-stores in Dundee (Groucho's), Edinburgh (Avalanche) and Glasgow (Love Music) on April 20th to celebrate the EP's release. And they will be performing as a full band, with members from We Were Promised Jetpacks, Bear Arms and other Glasgow bands joining the duo, at the Comets and Cartwheels showcase on May 31st at Govanhill Swimming Baths for Quickbeam's album launch.

Fake Major - Little Researcher from Comets And Cartwheels on Vimeo.

REVIEW: A Kite, A Key and A Storm - The Darien Venture

Almost 2 years since the release of the 'Indications' EP, The Darien Venture are back and stronger than before.

'A Kite, A Key and A Storm' is a 7-track player which showcases the catchy hooks and lyrical talent that this band have to offer. It's an EP from a maturing band and contains some of their best work to date.

Opener 'Bones' is anthemic, with the infectious guitars that The Darien Venture are known for as well as the masterful balancing of the vocal melodies from Dave Martin, Kyle Shields and Liam Rutherford.

'Ho! Criminal Face' is one more to add to the pile of tracks The Darien Venture have produced with massively catchy hooks and big guitars.

The EP strongest from the middle onwards where we get the best master and mix of the hit single '1.21 Gigawatts', with the perfect balance of the guitars and catchy lyrics. This is song is math-rock at its best and the mix on 'A Kite, A Key and A Storm' is the best that it has sounded.

'Catapult' is a song for anyone in their 20s, it builds from an opening showcasing Dave Martin's strong vocal and lyrics to a big chorus where the vocal melodies of his bandmates are once again utilised and Jonny Beveridge's drumming holds the entire track together.

'Thinks/Thoks' is another one full of catchy hooks and has some more standout drumming from Beveridge.

'Tonight Matthew' is the lyrically strong track on the EP and its coupled with infectious guitars and a perfect marrying of vocals. The final third of the song is an epic build bringing together everything that makes this band great - the strong bassline, big guitars and drums with the catchy lyrical hooks.

'Clock' is the darkest Darien Venture track to date and proves the lyrical talent of this band better than anything else. The big guitars take a backdrop which allows the vocals and lyrics to shine through stronger than on any other track on the EP, and in the band's previous work.

The Darien Venture have grown over the recent years but they are still a band who can provide catchy math-rock songs, they've always had the lyrical talent but it is on show more on 'A Kite, A Key and A Storm' than previous efforts. I believe this band are not only one of Glasgow and Scotland's best but one of the best bands in Britain right now and they deserve to be much bigger than they are.

'A Kite, A Key and A Storm' was released March 9th via Overlook Records and can be purchased via Bandcamp.