Ross Murdoch

It would be easy for me to sum up the sound of New York’s The Postelles with a tired comparison to Julian Casablancas’ modern rock revivalists, but the truth is that its more complex than that. The real stunners on this six-track EP are cut from the same ‘wise-beyond-their-years’ fabric as anything by the Arctic Monkeys. In fact, at times it sounds like a bunch of New Yorkers aping a bunch of Leeds Lads aping a bunch of New Yorkers, see told you it was complex. Listen to the opener Boy’s Best Friend and I dare you to tell me different.

They’ve got the hooks and head-nodding base lines, as well as informed explanations of teenage romance gone wrong that make up so much of the Arctic’s canon. Another element of The Postelles undeniable mettle is their vintage sense of melody; check out the backing vocals on ‘Blue Room’ for an earful of nostalgia.

There is also something to be said for schizophrenic frontmen, the best singers can be innocent and ferocious in the same sentence (Ezra from Vampire Weekend proved this recently) and Daniel Balk is no different, his performance on ‘Mr Used To Be’ is one of the best this year. And so is this EP for that matter. Play it loud.

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