Club Smith – The Process EP

When we last left our heroes, the UK based Club Smith, they had just discovered modern (and, to some extent, classic) post punk with their The Loss EP. The band summoned the likes of Bloc Party, Editors, and U2. It’s as if the these guys were teenagers – that is, in terms of musical taste. Now, with the band’s new EP, The Process, the band has matured into college students whose friends turned them onto ’80s new wave and synth pop.

The EP’s opener, ‘The Green Room,’ conjures up the sexy writhing of Duran Duran, while the haunting ‘Do You Despair?’ recalls Depeche Mode in more than just the song’s title. All that said, the band retains its ability to write a soaring chorus, most notably in ‘Casting Doubt,’ the best song of the four here. The vocal ooh’s are subtler here than on The Loss; they don’t reach for the sky, but instead they simply reach out for help while frontman Sam Robson repeats, “I haven’t got a leg to stand on.” It’s not as immediately affecting as The Loss‘ ‘Lament’ – in fact, nothing here is – but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

While The Loss was easier to connect with on first listen, The Process is, well, just that. It’s not as immediately stirring as its predecessor but that doesn’t mean it isn’t as powerful. The opposite is true: with multiple spins, the EP reveals itself as both a statement all its own – about life and about moving on – and also as a companion to its fraternal twin. In a sense, you need the first EP to fully understand the second.

But the key to truly appreciating this EP is considering the fact that Club Smith have made a stadium-size leap forward in its evolution – in just three months. What makes this such an exciting release (coupled with The Loss) is the sheer amount of potential this band really has given what they’ve done in 2010 alone. Get excited. I am.