EP: “Me And What Army?” by East Island City

Just as I thought the weather was going to be tropical in an abstract March, my holiday to Suffolk witnessed a plague of poor weather and rain, so thank God for pop rock outfit, East Island City’s EP popping through my letter box! This sunny Dublin outfit should surely brighten up this tragic forecast, right? This being said, they are no strangers to success as their free debut EP reached an impressive 15,000 downloads and have supported the likes of Twin Atlantic, My Passion and Framing Hanley.

So as the rain pours outside, the youthful and contemplative opener “Feels Like Home to Me” acts as a buffer to the gloomy outlook of the dense skies. Just as you thought you were in for an easy ride, lead single “No Tomorrow” stamps its foot into the equation and directs this record into its full stride. As title track “Me and What Army?” draws to a close, the general feel of this EP seems to be that there is serious potential to their sound, but the lack of originality can be frustrating at times. ‘The Borderline’ introduces more subdued elements into the mixer and echoes the likes of Canterbury, a sound which I believe they should stick to. The album draws to a close with bonus track, “Nobody’s Gonna Miss Us” and forms a soaring conclusion.

Let’s get things straight, I am not accusing this bands minor inadequacies to be due to their age, as I myself am approaching 20 years old and therefore have no right to say anything. This EP is impressive, bright and intelligent, but a touch of originality will send this band on their way to success, but only through a diverse tangent which they must create.

The EP is released 30th April on Intervene Records.