Heroes In Hiding Hush EPOne could be forgiven for allowing their head to sink into their hands despairingly as opener and title track Hush checks off all the tired clichés of the musical zeitgeist of the day. Heroes In Hiding lay on the pretty harmonies and that old familiar folk/rock stomp that has been championed in recent years, pointing to a continuation of the frustrating lack of creativity embedded into current music trends at root level. Surprisingly however it turns out that this is just a stuttering beginning to a hugely impressive EP.

Bruises relegates the below par introduction to a distant memory as Heroes in Hiding set a bar of quality that is  maintained throughout. The song shows a real urgency and showcases the band as a strong unit with assured performances throughout. The song structure is also interesting, conveying a creativity and intelligence that is engaging. The quality of the recording achieves the difficult aim of portraying the intended grandiosity of the track without appearing pretentious.

The ability of Heroes in Hiding to nudge the familiar sounds of a current genre ever so slightly into creative areas is their core strength. Smoke signals is perhaps nothing we haven’t heard before but that doesn’t detract from it being a genuinely moving detour and a welcome shift in pace. Album closer Star Crossed ramps up the atmospherics, providing a fitting end to ‘Hush’.

Often this type of music can seem contrived, but there’s an urgency from Heroes in Hiding that raises them above the pack without necessarily presenting any new ideas. No songs outstay their welcome and all are expertly executed, showing a discipline and natural songwriting craft that can be absent from the recent folk rock revival.

To say that Heroes in Hiding may be ones to watch in the future may be a stretch, but if their output remains at this level it’s hard to see them not making some inroads in the Irish music scene at some stage in the future. If nothing else, the band is a reminder that ultimately song quality is what is most important in a band’s presentation. The fact that such a point even needs to be made is a grim indictment of the music climate we inhabit.