A “wristwatch EP” is a pretty hard thing to download for free, but it’s also a pretty hard thing to full appreciate on the basis of a digital copy of the latest GUNNING FOR TAMAR effort, so we’ll just have to stick to reviewing the music on display;
Just about clocking in at 10 minutes, ‘Time Trophies’ sees the math/indie/pop outfit from Oxford taking the ideas they’ve been impressing with live recently on tours with JOHNNY FOREIGNER, TELLISOON and MAYBESHEWILL and solidfying them with excellent production and arguably their finest work to date.
The standout track on the release is ‘Chocolate Hooves’, winding confidently through the best instrumental work on the album, but the three tracks as a whole are impressive, and show that it’s sometimes better to pick your best for inclusion rather than try and beef out the release with mixed results.
Despite the fact that three tracks should really barely be called an EP (we’re not couning the remix at the end), it’s perfect for enticing some new recruits to the cause. A fine first release on Alcopop! Records and most definitely something to pick up if you’ve been paying attention to bands across the Big Scary Monsters and Alcopop! spectrum over the years.
TOM AYLOTT