There are three things that hit me when I first heard this EP: 1) Dan’s vocals make me want to listen to The Riverclub. 2) It sounds like some early The Maple State. 3) This band really like Minus The Bear.
Now don’t get me wrong, the EP’s title track and ‘She’s An Eyeful’ are great little songs, but by the time ‘DSP 9’ comes around I’m thinking there are a few too many similarities to some kind of TMS/MTB hybrid. Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s just kind of…obvious. Anyway, let’s start at the beginning. DSP feature The Riverclub singer Dan and DSP are essential a slowed down, less overtly happy TRC. While TRC are all about the energy, this record is a little more downbeat and obvious; ‘This Charm Is Charmless’ has the kind of chorus begging for handclaps that any band worth their salt would die for.
But the problem lies therein, that this is the kind of sound copied by many bands and while DSP do it better than most, compare this to the new The Riverclub demos and I think TRC win out. I’m perhaps coming across as a little more negative than I mean to be. While DSP are a good little prospect – and I feel there’s a good chance they’ll only get better – I feel The Riverclub are better. Just. So if you’re a fan of any of the bands cross-referenced in this review, you’ll quite possibly like Data Select Party. But this reviewer isn’t entirely convinced…