You are about to read words describing what will possibly be the best EP of 2025. This and some upcoming stuff that has yet to be released will reveal what rude health Indie Pop is currently in. There's also a cautionary tale for both reviewer and artist here.
I was initially sent a song for the Listening To This Week Playlist which I thought was a little mellow for it. I was wrong and would have discovered so if I had listened to it a bit more. But with so many weekly submissions for a 25 song playlist, decisions can be too quick.
Rather than going off feeling down or, as some do, telling me how wrong I was, I got a reply saying I think this song may suit your place more. That song was Kicking In and it opened last week's LTTW playlist. I wanted to listen to more and bizarrely discovered that I had reviewed the Skittish album from 2023 here. Blame my aging memory, but to be fair, I do listen to more music than I should do.
These five songs are all different. Again the male / female vocal split works wonderfully. The latter provides a more Pop feel, at times a little more commercial. There is also a bigger Electric Guitar vibe to the EP than previously, particularly on the songs sung by Jeff Noller.
Kicking In remains a wonderful listen. Beautifully arranged that sort of marches as it builds and builds, it is an absolute joy. Piece Of Heaven is much rockier and pacy, instrumentally a little Housemartins with a better arrangement, less simplistic than they would offer up. It is a reminder of those glorious Indie Guitar Pop days of the second half of the 80s.
Present Tense is more brooding, kind of epic, with a wonderful Brass arrangement. Mother Nature is a more straight ahead ballad, more Modern Melodic Pop built around Piano and Organ and yet still splendidly arranged.
My Day Of Revenge is built a mesmerising keyboard riff that is a little Toytown, but just wait for the poptastic chorus. Sassy and again beautifully arranged and written. Five great songs that sort of reinvigorate your faith in the magic that music brings into your life.
You can listen to and buy the EP here. You really really should give it a go.
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