If Fang Island didnʼt snag you on their self-titled debut then by christ theyʼre gonna have a good go here. Step right up folks, because this Brooklyn/Providence three-piece are offering a straight up, sometimes sideways, slice of proper, sweet, heart on sleeve, riff-laden pop and rock.

Kindergarten creeps in first with plinky-plonk piano, ebow harmony guitars and fragile vocals. It sounds like a stripped down anthem and itʼs really quite lovely.

The guitar riffage kicks in thereafter and we find ourselves in more familiar Fang Island territory. Sisterly and Seek it Out both pound along with vigour, combining ballsy rock with sunshine pop, sounding neither contrived nor forced.

Asunder starts out with great aplomb. Four to the floor, snare-driven, muted guitar and a great vocal build up perfectly to a juicy, dirty, twanged solo. Itʼs three minutes of bliss…then they seem to play it all over again. Iʼm not sure if they need to but hey, why not, itʼs a great song – twice!

Instrumental Chompers sounds like Titus Andronicus jamming with a young Steve Vai. Donʼt worry thatʼs a good thing. No really it is, honest. Set closer Victorian rounds things off nicely with its piano, singer/guitarist Jason Bartellʼs understated vocals and a little added fuzz guitar.

When Fang Island push towards, or into, the five minute song boundary it can become a little too much sometimes but overall you get the feeling of a band doing their thing in their way. Bravo to that, and anyway, when they hover around the three to four minute mark they smash it.

-Steve Manser-Knight-