“Dirty streets are gonna bring me all the way to fame” is a refrain from the opening track of The Sandy Rats’ debut self-titled EP. The Galwegian blues rockers certainly know how to kick an EP off on an optimistic high.

Beginning with the racuous Dirty Pete, it’s clear that The Sandy Rats mean business from the get-go. It’s laden with catchy hooks and foot stomping blues rock goodness that carry the song along in a haze of noisy instruments and a riff that belongs on one of Top Gear’s Driving Anthem compilations. The instrumentation is a standout feature of the track because everything just gels so well together, in particular the driving rhythm section that features an adventurous bassline.

Good Enough For You starts slow but grows into a lead guitar led track with a selection of interesting little licks and riffs throughout. It also adds female backing vocals which adds a new element to the mix. The breakdown around the two minute mark features almost reggae guitar that create a pause before kicking back into more blistering guitar work. While not the strongest track on the EP, it’s certainly the most original which adds to how enjoyable it is.

While there’s lots to admire on The Sandy Rats’ debut EP, it’s difficult to find anything truly original about it that puts it a cut above the rest. Similarities to The Hot Sprockets and The Minutes are prevalent throughout and while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it isn’t doing the band any favours. Despite this, it’s impossible to deny the raw talent and boundless energy that the band possesses. Hopefully by the time The Sandy Rats release their album there’s more on it to make them a little more unique.