Listen: Married To The Sea – Mutiny

Filling in the dots between soaring alt-rock and sweet power pop hooks, Liverpool quartet Married To The Sea return this week with the first cut from forthcoming EP Pack Xerxes. ‘Mutiny’ is a curious beast indeed. Musically it sits comfortably alongside the more forthright moments of such US college rock also-rans as Nada Surf, Rilo Kiley, The Long Winters et al – a genre that, in fairness, tends to be executed by UK bands with about as much conviction as Benjamin McKenzie’s acting skills (that’s Ryan from The O.C, btw – trying to stick with the emo West Coast college vibes, keep up at the back).

Powered by the lovelorn vocals of frontman Nick Duckett as he pains his way through three minutes of “listen, love, it kind of sucks living so far apart right? Why can’t it be the shitting weekend already so we can have some fun times” (they’re not the actual lyrics by the way, although I am on hand for future song writing duties if needs be) – ‘Mutiny’ dips, ducks and soars in all the right places and goes some way to prove that, when it comes to intelligent yet accessible indie fayre (see also: Outfit, Zulu Winter) - Liverpool continue to lead the way in 2012. Catch up, London.

Pack Xerxes is due out in April.