TIME IS A THIEF‘s sound is in a similar vein to Third Eye Blind‘s infectious pop rock. The EP ‘Identity’ opens with the summery grooves of ‘Holding The Gun’; with skipping drums and light jangly guitars, it’s a toe-tapping singalong and easily the strongest song of the release. ‘Water Skin’ is musically lighter, and works well as the centre of the EP – it’s a contrast to the surrounding songs. It’s a little formulaic, and because of this it emphasises the need for more songs within the EP – it’s hard to tell whether the highlights of the other tracks are lucky breaks or whether the middle track is the weaker odd one out. ‘Crazy Moon’ has more rock and roll swagger to it, bringing the EP back on track and ending it with some energy. Harmonies are abundant and add to the poppy quality; the songs are minor anthems and the production is excellent, capturing the band’s sound perfectly. A refreshing ten minutes of an EP that demands a follow up to affirm how good this band could be.
JOSIE MARTIN