Seven releases into a planned EP run, Merthyr Tydfil’s “least favorite sons” bring us six songs (three of which are exclusive to the Bandcamp release), steeped in nostalgia and pathos, memories made into music softened by distance and time. And such is the band’s genre-defying nature that, stylistically, the only tangible thing connecting all these songs is the fact that they already sound like classics… or at least echo the familiarity of a half-forgotten favorite.
The title track kicks off, a shuffling, shimmering piece of ornate indie, running from the understated to the anthemically inclined, and revealing, and indeed reveling in, an astute and poetic lyrical prowess, a constantly evolving, constantly building, constantly surprising sonic slice. Right, you definitely have my attention.
“He Breaks Horses” is wonderfully staccato and wilfully groovy, blending the aforementioned shimmer with an almost funky finesse, and if “Twist The Cap” was the product of a band that was on one of those small and fleeting independent labels back in the day, such as Postcard, it would feel perfectly placed.
“You’ve Been Here Before” is a moody instrumental peppered with spoken-word found sounds, and “Having The Window Opens Helps” is a blend of cinematic, synth-infused sophistication carrying words akin to the deep philosophical thoughts garnered from an intimate, soul-searching diary entry.
Placing Martyrs on the musical map might prove tricky; placing them in your record collection is not just easier, it is essential.
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