Crushing Blows - Crushing Blows EP

EP review by KevW

Crushing Blows are a bit of an unusual one. The Derbyshire duo have been compared to everyone from Talking Heads to Neil Young to My Bloody Valentine, which gives you no real clue as to what they actually sound like, except that there are probably guitars and drums and singing. The songs on their eponymous new EP succeed in sounding a bit like lots of things and yet not directly comparable to any other artists. Part of this is down to the fact that no two songs are quite the same; they have no formula and no set style and so this EP is one that flits from one place to another, whether by design or by accident they don't have a default setting as some bands do. As such there's likely to be something here that will appeal to most fans of the various forms of indie/alternative music and at the same time maybe some songs that will leave little impression.

Lead track 'The People You Will Never Meet' is far from the most immediate, built around reverberating stabs of guitar and echoing drums it's mellow and woozy and probably a bit of an acquired taste. It is one that's worth the effort of repeat plays though, and its slow build quietly impresses despite feeling more like a B-side. More instant impact is found on 'I Dream Of Becoming A Girl' which is bouncy psychedelic pop with breathy verses, a jabbing chorus and a slight hint of MGMT's poppier outings. 'Love Is Dangerous', somewhat surprisingly, manages to be a bit like a mixture of Talking Heads, Neil Young and My Bloody Valentine, and maybe a bit of Bowie too. The nearest we get to convention is 'No Halcyon' which treads a more familiar guitar-pop path, although it still puts across plenty of their own personality and is maybe the best song here. They've got all the tracks in the wrong order but despite this 'Crushing Blows' is a unique, inventive and enjoyable listen.



Crushing Blows' website

Pre-order the EP

Catch them live:

Friday 19th October - SWN FESTIVAL, Cardiff, Wales
Saturday 20th October - Carefully Planned Festival, Manchester, Afternoon show
Sunday 21st October - The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool
Sunday 21st October - The Library, Leeds
Tuesday 23rd October - Old Blue Last, London, with Bear Cavalry
Wednesday 24th October - Firebug Bar, Leicester
Thursday 25th October - JT Soar, Nottingham
Saturday 27th October - The Cavern, Exeter
Saturday 10th November - FEAR OF FICTION FESTIVAL - Bristol
Thursday 29th November - Bull and Gate, London





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