I must be getting jaded. I remember the days when I used to get angry at the mere thought of having to listen to yet another indie rock band. Now so many have passed through the portals at Bluesbunny Towers that I have to fight off indifference instead. Ivan and The Wolves - Nicko Varey, Jack D and Anders Christian - thankfully proved more interesting than most.
Why? Ivan and the Wolves add sparkle to their intelligent take on indie rock with a reverential nod to days gone by. They're not retro but you can see little flecks of musical influences everywhere. I could hear a hint of glam rock in "Killing Time" and mainstream British blues in "Two Ways". That kind of variety is no bad thing in my book and, with Mr Varey's suitably stylish and convincing approach to his vocals, the band's individuality gets clearly stamped on everything they do.
However, the crude production does them no favours losing much of the subtlety that should be this band's prized possession. Nonetheless, this is a very decent set of songs that suggest that this won't be the last we hear from this particular London trio.