Mixtape Saints - Heavy Water EP
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| Mixtape Saints - Heavy Water EP |
When I were a boy, back in t'day,
I used to get little postcards inside my CD and 7" singles that you would
send off, prepaid natch, with your details on to get free stuff from your favourite
indie bands (I got a limited edition single from Heavy Stereo once. Boom).
Anyway, the address on 90% of these cards was in Leamington Spa and, until I
received the EP from Mixtape Saints, that was literally the only fact I had in
my fact bank about Leamington Spa. So, already Mixtape Saints have double my
Leamington Spa knowledge by virtue of just being natives - well done chaps.
This four track EP starts with a refreshingly up tempo 'Sleep' which has a
nicely American punk-pop sound to it but with unmistakably English vocals and
sensitivity. Track 2, 'Heavy Water', however starts with game changing distant
gospel chant and handclaps that soon give way to a stuttering riff and an
impassioned voice that sounds like Joe Strummer or an Anglicised Bruce
Springsteen. This is passionate stuff with an earnest edge but it never crosses
over in to the insincere or posing stature that you often get from a lot of US
bands that stray too close to Emo. On 'Smoke, Mirrors and Misery' there's a
definite hint of LWM favourites Crazy Arm in the folkish riffs and throat
busting vocals which I am all for. Final track, 'In To The Storm' is an acoustic
affair featuring the tuneful yet powerful vocals of Sam Maloney who leads the
band like a general leader leading his troupes in to war. This is a genuinely
engaging and talent laden EP that should get some attention heading the band's
way but I'm not sure there's that one tune on there that will make these guys
stand out in a fairly congested market place. I live to be proved wrong though.
Just ask my girlfriend...
More information: https://www.facebook.com/mixtapesaints?fref=ts
Live Dates:
2nd November - Zephyr Lounge, Royal Leamington Spa (EP
Launch Party)
22nd November - O2 Academy, Birmingham w/ Sonic Boom Six