Mayo natives New Sunset Hotel, follow on from their top ten hit The Bitter End, with a new self-titled EP. This four track offering is their first output since that 2010 single and while there have been some changes to the line-up  the sound has stayed very much the same.

The band, named after a hotel that one of the members stayed in while attending a Star Trek convention in the States, have been together in their current form for the past two years. Sounding like a cross between Doves and Glasvegas this EP is the fruition of touring with the likes of Bell X1 and The Coronas.

The EP opens with new single Bibles; a very upbeat song that seems ripe for festival season and should be perfect for some radio attention. Lyrically, however, there is a slightly darker sentiment being expressed than what would come across from merely listening to the notes being played. “To go before my time/ bow out in style/Watch the ashes blessed”. While not quite delving into Neil Young territory it still shows a band that aren’t just going to sing songs about love and relationships.

The main issue with the EP is the last track Future of Mankind. This is the only down beat sounding track and it’s where the band seem to struggle a little bit. The track itself doesn’t really go anywhere, it sounds like it’s building to a climax that never really arrives. While not a complete miss, it does leave the listener slightly unsatisfied.

Overall this EP is well worth a listen to. There is undoubtedly potential in the band, the EP sounds sharp, is very well produced and there is rich layering to the sound. The EP does leave you with a feeling that the potential that is there is not quite exploited fully but as a band that is doing the festival circuit over the summer they should find ample opportunities to hone their craft and deliver a stellar album.