The Reverse
A Clean Incision EP
This is the debut EP by North London’s The Reverse, released back on 21st August last year. However, such is our teetering pile of CDs, they’ve gone and made two other records – albeit one had a limited pressing of just 20 copies!
‘Carry The Light’ kicks things off with what is basically a guitar pop song, but one for the more thoughtful of pop-pickers. It uses a tried and tested formula of solid, gently driving bass and jangly vs melodic guitars but manages a melody, which is on the wrong side of happy. Nathan’s vocals also help make this track just a little different, being smooth and rounded, but with shades of Jarvis Cocker in its delivery.
‘Secrets’ picks up the indie pop baton and takes things further with a track that wraps itself around you like a warm yet unsteadying breeze. It’s the guitars that really achieve this, keeping up their constant complementary melodies and, every now and then, building with the aid of the solid backline. It’s also the pick of the bunch for this very reason.
‘Don’t Take My Love Away’ shows a Ferry-like edge to Nathan’s voice for this lyrical lovepot of a song. It’s all perfectly pleasant but it smacks of a wound down U2 which could be endearing to many, just not to me. The gentle twangy guitars are nice though.
‘In a Cage, Under the Ground’ raises my expectations of something altogether nastier to end matters. Well, in context, I suppose it is but the tempo labours along much like its predecessors making me look for a dry spot in the garden to lie back and watch the sky. Again it’s musically competent, perfectly listenable, arranged beautifully, and well written. The vocal harmonies are nice, just like those two guitars locked in their brother and sister melodies, but there isn’t that spark of anger that I need to get me all enthusiastic and whooping for more. My issues rather than theirs I feel.
If you like your indie pop all melancholy and brooding then look no further. If you don’t…
Written by Habert on
