The Daydreams of Youth feels like an appropriate title for a debut release from this London-based quartet. It flits between aggressive, raucous and gritty songs to floating, string backed pieces that feel like a spiralling mix of dreams and nightmares. Adam Donen’s vocals are gruff and unpolished, grating the lyrics through the microphone not too dissimilar to a more in-tune Mark E Smith or a more sober Shane MacGowen.

From the splintering opening of “Five Minute Zeitgeist”, it’s twisted bass driving the rhythm straight through your ears to your feet. Donen spits out each of the lyrics with such bile as to suggest he’s pissed off with just about everything. The perfect refrain of “I’m here tonight because the Zeitgeist couldn’t be bothered” a wake up call to the population. Following this is a rather more straight forward folk-tinged piece called “Through The Back Door”. It reminds me of The Pogues but with more electric guitar. This is where Donen’s vocals come across all Shane MacGown. Whether he’s as under-the-influence as the latter, I couldn’t comment on. What I can comment on however, is how great this song is. The fiddle and echoing guitars build around the central drum beat, taking the song on unexpected paths. These are much more than just another anti-folk band.

The second half of the EP follows a similar path. The more aggressive, spirited and darker aspects of the band share equal time with their more compassionate and lovelorn side. The final track “Nostalgia” is a simple song about the past, perhaps not looking back with too rosey-tinged spectacles, but still a beautiful song. Accompanied by a simple acoustic guitar and fiddle with a twist of organ, it just tweaks the heart strings. And this followed the Bad Seeds-esque stomp of “It’s Jude A Ride”. A versatile bunch these guys and much more interesting than most of the other over-hyped acts I’ve witnessed this year.
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Links
Alexandria Quartet [myspace]