Singles

Copy Haho - Wrong Direction

Chris Tapley 23/10/2009

Rating: 4/5

Following on from the exquisite Bred for Skills and Magic EP is this limited edition 7” as part of the Too Pure singles club. If you liked the former then this certainly won't disappoint, offering more of the same frantically emotive pop rock that caught the attention of so many discerning music fans earlier this year.

Wrong Direction is a stuttering piece of alt rock in the vein of Weezer, with added angst and more angular rhythms. In lesser hands this could sound like tedious pop rock, but Copy Haho are masters of their craft and they bring to it a sense of urgency and passion that makes it infinitely likeable. Similarly Demons and Gods shoots straight off the blocks, twisting and turning like a less algorithmic version of Dartz. There are mathy lines scattered throughout the verses but the chorus drops them in favour of a more anthemic and memorable riff that works brilliantly.

As with the ep though it's Joe Hearty's lyrics which elevate these songs beyond likeable to become something a bit more tangible, something which you can cling to. He embraces the great Scottish lyrical tradition of fusing misery with blind optimism, a technique perfected by Arab Strap. There are lines like “I'm not happy but it feels fine” scattered consistently throughout these two tracks and any disillusioned young minds will find plenty that resonates with them here.



Essentially another great release from one of the best young bands the UK has to offer at the moment. If they continue to crank out songs of this ilk which are as intricate as they are accessible then they ought to be huge come this time next year.

Release date: 19/10/2009