Miniature Jack were recently formed after a split from Dublin band Bennett Vs Matrix. It saw the trio of Lisa Farrell, Martin Cullinan and Brian Loughery bring in Farrell’s siblings Keith and Ciara to complete the new line-up  of Miniature Jack. They’ve wasted little time in getting out their first self-titled EP. For those that made the jump from Bennett Vs Matrix, it would appear that they’ve made the right call as this is an improvement on what they’ve been involved with before.

The overall sound of the ‘Miniature Jack’ EP is indie-lite with a nod to the pop rock of Paramore.  Sugar Rush is suitably bittersweet and contains Lisa Farrell’s best vocal. It’s a song that shows that they are capable of generating better melodies and keener hooks as the song builds to satisfying crescendo.  Tear It Up is a lot less raucous than its title suggests, while it does contain a catchy chorus. Yet some of the old failings still remain. Follow Me has the necessary components but fails to assemble them in the right order to stick for more than a fleeting minute in your mind. Coming For You has a hummable chorus but it’s stilted verse is pedestrian, awkward and makes you want to skip to the chorus each time.

What this EP wouldn’t have given for some more production flair to bring out the vitality in the songs. The songs are for the most part structurally fine, if predictable. There is a distinct lack of polish around the instrumentation and at times the drums and bass sound barren. Lisa Farrell has a strong voice and the music could have benefited from sounding bigger to match her voice. The Miniature Jack EP shows Miniature Jack are moving in the right direction, but still have some way to go before they fulfill their potential.