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Written by Laura Hamlett Wednesday, 21 February 2007 02:44

we play danceable, shed rehearsed guitar music. we like to dance, drink, draw, pretend to be on a mobile phone whilst we are not, write songs, dance.

 

This one's buzzy, and with good reason. It falls into the post-punk genre, if you must classify; it blends elements of Gang of Four, Hot Hot Heat, and the Rapture. Though I am not prone to quoting band websites, their MySpace bio amused me; in its entirety it reads: "we are a band, we consist of 4 members, joel cox, rhys jones, steve leach and tom jones. we play danceable, shed rehearsed guitar music. we like to dance, drink, draw, pretend to be on a mobile phone whilst we are not, write songs, dance. we are based in morden. we play danceable, shed rehearsed guitar music. we like to dance, drink, draw, pretend to be on a mobile phone whilst we are not, write songs, dance." Seems fitting enough.

The Photos on My Wall is Good Shoes' debut, a four-song EP that is bound to have people talking—not to mention dancing, drinking, drawing, and any of the above-mentioned pursuits enjoyed by the band. Rhys' vocal style is more of calling out than actually singing, but it fits the herky-jerky style of the band's music. The lead-in self-titled song is an upbeat head-swinger in which Rhys playfully warns, "I don't think before I speak/ I'll break your heart."

Up next, "Beautiful" is more fast-paced frivolity, discordant guitar lines crashing up against one another and keeping a hectic beat. Following the slightly more restrained "Deathfame," "Everybody's Talking About" is a bit more anthemic with melodic guitar lines and crashing cymbals. Though the EP's a fun if short listen, it will be interesting to hear how the band's frenzied pace and mixed-tempo stylings hold up over a full-length album. B+ | Laura Hamlett

RIYL: The Rakes, The Rapture, Talking Heads