Last week, I ventured along to The Pint on Dublin's Eden Quay to get my fix of live music. There was a clutch of great bands playing but my primary concern was to see four-piece The Strutts in action and they certainly didn't disappoint.Delivering a rousing set of sprightly guitar pop, their performance possessed a warmth that goes some way to explaining the ardent breed of supporters they attract, but was also underpinned by a resolve to impress that hangs the right side of ambitious.
I can happily report that The Strutts' energy and verve, which serves them so well in a live setting, is equally present on their eponymous EP. Singers Liam Gardner and Daragh O' Connell's tuneful vocals are wonderfully complementary and it's little surprise to learn that they've performed acoustically as a duo in the past.
However, the addition of bass and drums affords them a fuller sound best felt in the latter half of 'Easy To Forget', which descends into an instrumental jam that's tailormade to set audiences busting moves on the dancefloor.
The Strutts' trump card is perhaps their knack for pegging down a catchy pop hook. Tracks like 'Down', where cascading harmonies are pitched against a backdrop of jangly guitars, remind of The Beatles' early material but more contemporary influences are felt elsewhere.
Gardner's snarling delivery on 'People Talk' is reminsicent of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, and this track for me is the standout on an accomplished EP by a Dublin band whose star is firmly on the ascent.
The Strutts - People Talk
The Strutts' eponymous EP can be downloaded from iTunes here.
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