Breezy tunes
‘Comiston Springs’ starts Cast of the Capital’s new 5 track EP “Rotten Kids and Haversacks” and it’s a relief to hear that, despite this being their first official label release, they haven’t lost any of their former charm. The opener is bouncy and poppy, the melody is great and it has a lovely breezy air about it, but as always with their tunes, it’s far from sugary; the guitars are jangly with a slightly distorted edge giving the track plenty of bite. ‘The Witching Hour’ is a fantastic tune, very catchy, a touch more dreamy, and a little reminiscent of Death Cab For Cutie at the start. ‘Passing The Horse’ is the EP’s indie-rock tune, again showing off solid guitars but this time more upbeat and danceable. ‘Crematory Blues’ slows things down with folk tones, acoustic guitar and touching vocals; it’s one of the strongest tracks, short but very lovely. ‘Tree Sleep’ is another great tune and ends the EP well, leaving you with the lasting impression that this band can write some really catchy and melodic indie tunes, which they can.
Cast Of The Capital have really come on since their early releases, the sound on this EP is definitely more mature and cohesive but thankfully they still have a fuzzy, rough tone to them which is one of the things that makes them stand out.