Kid Harpoon - The Second EP

For someone who claims to have over 200 songs in his repertoire, it seems a trifle odd that Kid Harpoon chooses to showcase them through consecutive EPs. There's certainly enough evidence on this second such release to suggest the time is right for us to hear a full album. Opener, The Riverside, is an urgent and dangerous declaration of intent; a musical Jekyll and Hyde, with Harpoon's voice switching from clear and soft to dark and harsh without warning. This menace is evident throughout, with Lay Of The Land providing the only respite. Such is the tempo, however, that this EP doesn't feel heavy; instead it skips along, all the while with a sarcastic grin painted on its face. [Neal Parsons]