Imagine playing Knockanstockan, Le Cheile Music and Arts Festival, Light Colour Sound Festival, Galway Fringe Festival when you haven’t even released your debut EP yet.  Conceived in 2013, four-piece blues rockers, Travis Oaks already have a lot going for them.

After all the hype they’ve generated, their three-track debut EP is due to be released on the 14th of November (exclusively streamed here on the 3rd November).

Opening with lead single, Birdhouse Blues, Mike Paterson’s almost Jack White-esque vocals couple with the bluesy licks, the thumping rhythm section and lush harmonies. At times it’s remnant of a cooled down track by The Minutes or a slightly more up-tempo song from The White Stripes earlier catalogue. It’s an enticing song that features a plethora of catchy hooks and cries out to be played in a live setting.

Soul Son features a chunky bassline and yet more blues licks, well written lyrics and that contagious likeability that just seems to burst from Travis Oaks’ music. A heavily distorted bassline appears for the last part of the song, and it does feel like it’s just a teeny bit too muddy as you have to really listen out for the note changes.

Last Love Song closes the EP out very much in the same manner as it began – with all sorts of bluesy tricks hidden up it’s sleeve. The lead guitar is simply perfect, and it really feels like the song would be very plain without it. Last Love Song was released as a single in August with an accompanying video, so if the band are familiar to you, the song probably is too. It thunders along while Paterson croons almost vehemently: “Look at you with your shotgun eyes // I’m really sick of you.” It’s a welcome change from traditional love songs that ooze with a sickening statement that always seems to remain the same.

Travis Oaks EP features three tracks that were crafted very carefully. Each song is well written and bursting with an energy that deserves a live setting to really show it off. When a band has already tasted success, before even releasing an EP, it’s hard to see what’ll be holding the quartet back from soaring to new heights. Big things await and surely some bigger stages too.