It's pretty much exactly a year ago that Liverpool group KynchinLay came to our attention with single 'Public Execution', and since then they've impressed with subsequent releases 'Leave Me Alone' and 'DogFathers'. The band actually go back a while longer, so although we're latecomers, it's been a pleasure to discover their music at last. New EP 'Drink Me' compiles the trio of singles from last year along with the songs 'Live Free Or Die', a solemn number that looks at just how skewed the world really is, beginning as though we can expect a simple acoustic track, but adding lush, gospel-inspired backing vocals and organ that gives a retro feel, and also 'MyHeart' which is perhaps closer to their general post-punk sound, although, as with other songs, there are plenty of other flavours mixed in. Here, the chugging riff is counterbalanced by a lead vocal that doesn't seem as angry as the music suggests it could be, and this adds a little extra colour. Building towards an ending that verges on the epic, some nice lead guitar enhances things further.
The singles sound even better when grouped together like this, and with 'Leave Me Alone' opening the EP we get a great introduction into the way the band take darker sounds an add splashes of light. In this case it's the Super Furry Animals-esque "ba ba ba-bas!" that catch the ear, but again KynchinLay allow the song to build. 'DogFathers' is something akin to The Specials collaborating with The Stranglers and persuading The Beach Boys to chip in with some backing vocals. It's touches like this that transform what could be rugged punky tunes into something more interesting. This track also shows that the trio can do diversity pretty well; whatever the reference point, it's a pop song that lies underneath. Lying at the centre of the record is 'Public Execution', and it does act as something of a focal point. Grittier that some of their material, the first half in particular could have come from an album by Magazine or a band of that ilk. By the time we hit the two minute mark, more melody and harmony appear like the sun shining through parting clouds. It's another example of how KynchinLay play around with existing styles yet forge their own identity. We might have been five years or so behind many of their fans, but we're glad we stumbled upon these guys nonetheless.
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