Demos

Pipers - 1/2 Penny Marvel EP

Emily Tartanella 19/01/2007

Rating: 4/5

This Italian fourpiece from Naples would sound more at home amidst the crumbling relics of Britannica. Enamored of all thing Britpop, these boys know their off-kilter, tuneful pop.

Yet there's no giddy, Blur-infused melodies here. Instead, the debt is more classically skewed, with a keen eye towards The Beatles and Oasis alike. Opener 'Tonight Goodbye' is the most obvious link, sounding like a melancholic George Harrison solo track, if perhaps slightly lacking in majesty. Think Doves spliced with The Beatles and you've hit the nail on the head.

'Catch Me' is the most joyful the band gets, and it's a true success, like a drugged-up Oasis lost in a daze of confusion. Instantly catchy and never cloying, “Catch Me” is a single in the making. While 'Have a Smile' is perhaps a dash too Richard Aschroft for anyone's good, the Liam Gallagher vocals provide an easy redemption. These Italian boys may be a bit morose occasionally, but there's plenty of time for them to discover la dolce vita.

www.myspace.com/pipers2006