It's been a while since I last heard anything by Welsh band Vvolves but they have now returned with a three track EP called "When I'm Down". In it they take a very reverential approach to mining their influences and manage to distil from said influences something mean and moody.
"Clearer" reflects the style of New Order crossed with the drive of The Jesus and Mary Chain. Little surprise then that the scratchy guitars and reverb laden vocals drive the song forward faster than the late night bus to Helltown.
"She", on the other hand, shows a softer, gentler side to the band like all those rough edges had been summarily knocked off. At least until the big anguished finale hits you, that is. For reasons probably illogical, I made mental comparisons to Billy Bragg's more sentimental moments whilst listening to this.
"Where You'd Start", laidback and lost the ever present reverb, is the kind of song that wraps itself around you. However the song's underlying masculinity was soon asserted and it proved itself capable of standing tall in a field of deep meaning.
If you weren't listening to this band before then I'd recommend you start. Young they are but foolish they are not.