And now we have, all the way from Glasgow, Welcome to Spook Club and their "Robert for King" EP …
Kicking off with "Robert for King" sets the tone. A song that feels laidback as the almost hushed vocals (with some delicately balanced female harmonies) giving a reflective, drifting on the ocean feel that gets rattled hard with power chords and stadium style rock drums before rounding itself off in a wail of feedback. Big on impact, it nevertheless seems a bit mournful.
"Trophies for Hunters" has more loud guitars and feels a lot more aggressive like the Pixies trying to work off a really bad hangover. Pretty angry stuff. Just the thing to accompany life on a tour bus, perhaps
"Our New Republic" returns to the brooding sentiments of the title track with shuffling drums and those guitars again. Funnily enough, the song seems a bit older, or perhaps more mature, than "Robert for King". There does appear to be a theme running through these songs in a sort of Stranglers "No More Heroes" way but with hopelessness replacing the aggression. The lyrics are smart and to the point - "we don't count any more …" - making this is easily the best song of the three.
Not exactly light and fluffy then but certainly an interesting listen.