Cherbourg, in this context, doesn’t refer to the quaint city in northern France. Neither does it refer to the aboriginal community in Australia. It is, in fact, the name of a London based folk-rock band who have released their debut EP, Last Chapter of Dreaming. Although they have been likened to Beirut and Arcade Fire, one listen to their dulcet tones will make you wonder why such a comparison was made; the EP makes the four-piece sound a little more stripped back and quite a lot less spectacular. Nevertheless, there is a hidden countrified charm to them that makes the listen worthwhile.The opener, 'Never Love Again', plummets into the hubbub of a busy, middle-of-nowhere country bar; the hustling, rustling and bustling of a folk band preparing to capture the stage is buffered by idle crowd chatter. Before long, bows and strings start whirring out a rich melody that could not sound any more typical of traditional folk if it tried. Andrew Davie’s earthquake-inducing deep voice is a darker version of Gary Lightbody’s. Against a backdrop of skipping drums and woody strums, fellow band members Phil Fiddle, Kevin Jones and Chris Maas add weight to the rustic vocals with their monk-like chanting. It all seems very much like the sound that would resonate from an organized Celtic pub crowd - not a disorderly rabble, but a gathering that intrigues.'Let You Down', the following track, touches on Coldplay’s mellowness with its slower, more laid back purr. With a slightly dull start and enough echo to make it sound like Davie is in a cave, the pace picks up after the chorus when the chanting monks return. The gentle track isn’t terrible; it just lacks excitement and an element of adventure.To a certain extent, the same point can be made for 'Horses'. In style it isn’t far removed from its predecessors; it is laid-back, easy to listen to and sits comfortably in the tried-and-tested key used in the other songs. The acoustic guitar has an earthy, muffled quality, sounding as though it is being plucked by someone wearing plasters on their fingertips. In the pattering drums there lies a strong influence of late ‘60s psychedelic rock that gives the musical path of the EP an unexpected and welcome detour.There is, perhaps, a case of too little too late by the time the final track 'The Mill' is reached. The song shows the most promise of the lot. It may be too similar, too careful and melancholically slow to cause a party for your ears, but, with two harmless songs rolled into one, it is a well constructed piece of alternative-folk. Unsurprisingly, the first two minutes features hearty guitars, shallow drums and agriculture-inspired lyrics such as “Spring wakes the flowers from their beds”. As the second part of the song dwindles in, there is eventually some variation in the form of a tinkling xylophone, which arrives to liven up what could have otherwise potentially been another example of playing it safe.Last Chapter of Dreaming is not the worst EP in the world, but it isn’t the best either. As easy listening, traditional folk-rock goes, Cherbourg ticks the boxes. They are inoffensive, yet, at times, borderline mediocre and repetitive. Which is a shame for a band that seems to have all the pieces necessary to create something promising. This is only their debut release. Hopefully their second will bring out and enhance their positive qualities. 65%Cherbourg on Myspace