The project of one Mike Wynne from darkest West Lothian, a seemingly all-encompassing chap when it comes to playing and production, writing and arranging. Taking the 2006 CD first, the lead track, "Empty", is pure Simple Minds an good Simple Minds at that. While it's not got any particular hook, it does have the flow and strident sense of purpose that their mentors achieved at their height, from the similar sounding vocals to equally soaring guitar-led arrangements and a song that's punchy and economic. "Step Out Of The Shadows" in missed me by a mile - nothing memorable and nothing to get worked up about, nothing, even, to comment on. "The Place To Be", however, mixed that Simple Minds vocal with an arrangement and sound that was close to that of Todd Rundgren's Utopia around the time of the "Oblivion" album and possibly more Roger Powell, than Todd. Overall, though, a strong and competent EP, as yet nothing to set the world on fire, but but no need to hang up the boots, either.
The 2007 CD could be a different band entirely judging from the first track - surging guitar riffs and hot leads spark into life as powerful rhythms drive along a song with more of a raw Simple Minds style mixed with something more indie-rock based. Either way, while still lacking any obvious hook or chorus to give it that memorable quality, it nevertheless sounds a whole stack more confident and less overtly comparable. The second track continues ina similar vein only with extra depth from the organ work, slightly slower and with more of a flow rather than an eruption. Once again, song-wise, it's well arranged, expansive, strongly played, well sung but still nothing that sticks, although maybe after a few plays that might change. Finally, we come to track three, and this time it's got more of a proggy-meets-jangly guitar feel, altogether more emotive, here sounding like a cross between Simple Minds, Spandau Ballet and something like The Doves or Coldplay, with some really expressive instrumental work and another high-flying guitar lead, as the vocals deliver the song clearly and strongly.
Difficult ones for me here, as it's not really "my sort of thing" but it's classy an quality enough to have a wide-ranging appeal to those wanting class '80's indie-guitar pop mixed with a more contmporary production and sense of arrangement.