You only need to listen to Kid Harpoon for a short while to realise his country of origin. Since the release of Riverside, his debut single on Brikabrak in 2006, Kent born Tom Hull has built up a strong following through his live performances and wild claims to have some 100 songs written and ready on his laptop. This release, “The First” EP, is available on vinyl or on a tour only CD. It represents a varied, original collection of songs, echoing in texture and tone a very British musicality, with a wide mix of instrumentation and sound.

At times the sound and the songs are full of glamour, but without the buttock-clenching awkwardness of (dare I say it) Mika. “Milkmaid” has a British streak a mile wide, the sort of thing Larrikin Love have tried and failed to emulate, with Kid Harpoon’s vocal very much to the front, backed with a dizzying array of other talents from horns to strings. “Fifty-Seven” has the potential to be irritating (I refer you back to Mika), as does “Aeroplanes and Neon Lights”, but the sheer enthusiasm displayed prevents the songs from dipping towards offensively twee. Here we have elements of XTC, The Kinks, with a hint of Sufjan Stevens thrown in for good measure.

If this EP is anything to go by, he is clearly a talented songwriter, who shows huge potential with this release. His vocal is sometimes too strong, sometimes overly theatrical, but this is a mild criticism. Musically this release is very appealing, and a slightly toned back Kid Harpoon could become an artist of quite some calibre.
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Links
Kid Harpoon [official site] [myspace]