You would’ve imagined that a band with two guys; guitar, bass and a drum machine would be quite restrictive and as a result would limit what they’re capable of. Instead, the opposite has happened for Constant Supply and it has opened up a world of possibilities for James Gillen and Conal Sweeney.

Located in Donegal, away from the distractions of the urban music scenes, they’ve been free to craft their own sound. This relative isolation has served them well and the result is a fantastically well produced album with shimmering rock songs aplenty.

The band’s sound is built around developing an off kilter beat, guitar or bass lick and gradually progressing them into soaring melodic choruses. In terms of reference points, The Bends-era Radiohead wouldn’t be far off. There is also certainly an influence in the guitar playing of post rock legends Slint and this is apparent on On Their Feet and Crystal which both have strong math rock riffs. The atmospheric Requisite showcases Gillen’s vocals which has similarities to Thom Yorke. Daft Quotes and You Being Social are both more angular complex songs. The guitar and bass lines of Daft Quotes both weave along, seemingly unrelated during the verse before meeting like long-lost lovers on the chorus.

Catch and Capo form the epicentre of the album. The former with its menacing bass line builds to a crunching crescendo while Capo is the lead single off the album. Capo has that undeniable quality which all great songs have, in that it is memorable straight from the first listen. Third In Line once again displays the bands knack for penning a catchy chorus with Gillen repeating “everybody says you’re a four letter word.”  Picture Worth Drawing is a slow burner and the gentle You Spin When The Light Hits Your Corner is a mostly acoustic melancholy song.

Not everything on the album is perfect. Sisyphean is a clunky dull effort which doesn’t match the standards set before. With the album clocking in at just over an hour; it honestly wouldn’t have lost anything by being one song shorter. Lyrically the songs aren’t ground breaking with the words serving as a mechanism for fitting into the superb melodies. However these are minor quibbles in what is an impressive, imaginative debut album.