Dublin post-grunge outfit Glassgears’ debut EP ‘The Right Side’ is a confusing beast. The three-track EP only really contains two songs, with Sefton Drive merely acting as an atmospheric voice-over segue between the EP’s opening title track and the EP’s closing track Joshua Thorne. It instantly begs the question, why did Glassgears decide to release an EP when they clearly do not possess enough quality material to warrant recording one?

Whilst it’s hard not to admire their gumption, Glassgears have done themselves no favours in choosing to release ‘The Right Side’ EP when they simply could have released their best track Joshua Thorne as a single instead, a decision that clearly would have served them better in the long run.

This decision becomes even more mystifying when you consider that filler track Sefton Drive is actually superior to one of the two real songs on the EP. The Right Side begins well enough with atmospheric guitar combining well with the rhythm section, but once the chorus arrives Rachel McDermott’s vocals turn shrill and struggle to cope with both the demands of the song and the bombast of the band, leaving the whole song in demo-tinged mess.

Thankfully, McDermott fairs much better on the EP’s standout track Joshua Thorne, delivering a much more accomplished vocal performance, and the track feels far more robust than its predecessor as a result.

‘The Right Side’ EP is a case of much too much, much too soon for Glassgears. Whilst they can clearly play their instruments, they need to focus on their song writing, drop the gimmicks and ensure their next EP release has more than one decent turn on it. They also need to find a producer who will push them to strive for better results. If they don’t they will fall quicker than this EP’s cover star.