The Day Is A Downer - IV Thieves EP Review
EP Review
The rustic retro rocker, Nic Armstrong's solo 'Broken Mouth Blues' EP raved of potential like an old guy in a pub telling everyone about the new Jimmy Greaves. A tour with Paul Weller, a backing band called The Thieves and a well-crafted debut album, seemed to be paving the way for Nic to act as a musical time machine and transport people to the blues rock playground of the 60s. While the industry's cruel blows would bury those more mortal than Mr Armstrong, he merely chose to grab a shield of anonymity, base himself in Texas and crank up the guitars. IV Thieves helps Nic to charge forward with his cranked up blues rock and the added momentum of a full and forceful percussion drilled band, epitomised in the dowdy yet spirited opener 'The Day Is A Downer'.
A psychedelic slant to 'Catastrophe' draws out Armstrong's fresh outlook and the troubled vocals pull you into the longing feel of this ebb and flow release of feelings. The dual vocal approach to 'Chase Me Off/Out', builds around a harrowing instrumental frame before Nic's masterful yet worried tone takes over. This song, it seems, is most indicative of the band's democratic song-writing approach that will litter the forthcoming album 'If We Can't Escape My Pretty....' The full length looks set to justify Noel Gallagher's lauding of the band... the smug bastard!
