So, Kodakid sound like anything but kids. The Waterford foursome are as mature as they come, with their début self-titled album sounding as though it were polished with an automatic iTunes deposit in mind. But not every Irish band can be as fortunate, leaving that effort with mixed results. Over-polishing sands down some of the original quirks bands like Kodakid trade on.

As an opener, Outta Sight provides a hit of generic but pleasant rock, even if it does go on a minute too long. Kev Power’s vocal is exactly that–powerful–but it carries the weight of everyone he’s influenced by; whether purposeful or not. This powerhouse drawl over thundering guitars makes it easy to draw comparisons to the Black Keys almost consistently, with Stories and Lies a hidden Stone Roses bootleg, and Low 7 and Shake Skin sounding shaved from the notebooks of Caleb Followill.

But give Shake Skin a chance, it’s more than saved by dark blistering riffs and an air of seductive rock n roll that will win you over. Which pretty much sums up the frustration around this record– it’s good, but there’s a nagging feeling you’ve heard it all before.

Kodakid are dominated by their influences, which is understandable in a band finding their sound. When it begins to sound like a cover band–a good one, at that–writing original material, it’s cause to take a step back. Which is a shame, there are some great tracks on here and no filler, Kodakid sound like a band who are completely in tune with each other. Goin’ Out West is thankfully, nothing like KOL’s Back Down South, but sultry with a great build, breaking up what could otherwise become a generic flow throughout the record.

The production on Kodakid is flawless and it’s enjoyable, but often the kind of music that would soundtrack a not-so-memorable movie scene – brand it ‘stock rock’.

The highlight of the album is definitely Grizzly Days. A slow burner that packs a gorgeous flow, the track is just perfectly crafted for playing on a festival stage to a sunset backdrop. The track slips into luscious, ‘ahhhs’ and an instrumental that rips up the claim that there’s nothing special here. Definitely a gem, and a direction Kodakid should confidently go–no, sprint.