2am - STRENGTH OF PATIENCE E.P.

A three track, thirteen minute EP that proves what I said in my last review of them live in concert, was correct and that you can't always get the subtleties of the band in concert, as this rather fine CD proves. Opening with the title track, a somewhat more flowing, more relaxed composition, the first thing you notice is that the cello sings through loud and clear above a sea of slowly flowing rhythms and yearning lead male vocals, all of which leads into a jaunty, almost country-ish lead guitar driven finale to end a quite gorgeous and reflective slice of song-writing with a fuller sound than I've described. However, the second track, "In Your Dreams", immediately starts with a full sound as the electric guitars and cello ring out over a shuffling rhythm section, while the lead vocal had me thinking of a male answer to 10,000 Maniacs Natalie Merchant, while the song itself wasn't a million miles away from such a comparison, either, only with more layers to it and a surging, flowing quality that revealed that this band can seriously write and arrange good songs, with restraint and class, invention and dynamics, something that their powerful on-stage performances don't bring across so obviously - maybe once you get to know the songs, the live set will make more sense - I'll let you know! Finally, the third track, "Dreams Survive", slowly rises then bursts into life with a happy rhythm and a dual male-female vocal, plenty of twists and turns in the arrangements, providing a mix of almost angelic, anthemic indie-rock of class and quality, as the male vocal delivers the song while the female vocal flies wordlessly overhead, diving down to join in the chorus, as the guitars ring out and the rhythmic undercurrents flow along merrily, leading into a neat high-register guitar lead complete with strident band playing that takes you to the end of a surprisingly enjoyable debut EP, and highly recommended.

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