FolderIt’s not often that you fall in love with an album.  Like, yes. Love, no. It’s even more rare to love an album on first listen. Most of the time you come across slow-burners; ones that require a few spins before you can form any real opinions. There have been very few times that I have been enthralled by an album immediately after pressing play. However, my first listen to ‘Vol.1 That Vinyl Scratch’ by Vickers Vimy was one of those times.

The Galway based five-piece got their name from the first airplane to ever make a non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. And with their old-timey name, they bring to their listeners an old-timey sound. The whole album follows a strict theme of relaxed folk tunes. Everything is chilled and simple. There are no needless frills or embellishments.

Right from the beginning, with the first lazy strum of the acoustic guitar, and tender vocals of singer Ed Drea, I was hooked. Opening track Late For Years sets the mood for the whole album. It tells the listener that all they should do for the next 40 or so minutes is sit-back, relax, and get lost in the aural beauty.

With a lot of albums, a lack of diversity between songs can be seen as a hindrance.  However, Vickers Vimy’s refusal to move outside their comfort zone is one of the aspects that makes this album as good as it is. The majority of the tracks are dainty, acoustic guitar lead songs, with a similar, mellow tempo. For many bands, this would lead to a very boring compilation, but the song-writing and arrangements are of such great quality here that no moment lacks in brilliance.

Track 4, Devil On Your Back, is a definite highlight, with it’s uplifting chorus, full band sound, and an interesting piano and banjo interlude thrown in the mix. The same can be said for the piano lead Old Fashioned Lover. One of the few up-tempo songs on the album, the track is a short tribute to the stylings of artists from the 50s, such as Elvis and Buddy Holly.

With this album, Vickers Vimy have stuck true to a certain sound and style. The end result is a compilation that is confident in the message that it wants to portray. It proves that you don’t have to throw in the kitchen sink to make something great.