Demos

I Remember Tapes - C45

Owain Paciuszko 27/07/2009

Rating: 3/5

All I Know, the lead track off of this debut EP from Winchester four-piece, is pleasantly spiky. Sort of simmering in a broth comprised of The Clash and early Kings of Leon, to create something energetic and fun, without being completely vacuous. It's a fine start and comes complete with a little tag that says 'One's to watch.'

Second track Indecisive is probably what Morrissey would sound like if he'd decided to front The Libertines, it sort of catchily but awkwardly shoe-horns interesting and literate lyrics into an indie-pop format. Final track Cold has a great bass riff and guitars recreating a Commodore 64 sound, which is one of the few truly retro sounding parts of this record which feels - name aside - steeped in 21st Century style, though saying you like the past is kind of 'in' now. Though Cold is one of the few places over the EP where you can hear their purported Duran Duran influence, especially in the echoey vocals and the rather chrome-plated, opaque lyrics.

I Remember Tapes have put together an EP that feels more like an album sampler than a work of its own. It showcases a band that can deliver good, confident indie-pop with a smattering of wise influences melded together with skill, but the tracks here feel like slightly lesser efforts to what you suspect they may be capable of.