Von Shakes are undoubtedly one of the most well-known independent rock band’s to come out of Ireland; if you have any knowledge of the circuit, you will have heard their name mentioned from time to time and they spend a lot of time impressing the indie crowd in New York. March 2nd saw the release of their latest studio offering; The Almost Nobody EP.
A modest three track EP, it is but a short burst example showcasing how talented, and enthralling this band can be. The final track Pale is reminiscent of Kings of Leon in the earlier days, only in verses and guitar licks, while the chorus is a perfect example of the kind of melody and sentiment for which they have become known, although minus some element of power that they seemed to have once possessed. It is somewhat of an anthem-esque number with self-pitying lyrics and a wonderful quite-loud-quite-loud pattern; which never fails to pull at the heart strings. My Side is a more out-and-out rock song, with a simple but effective guitar riff, subtle bass and a pounding drum sequence. It is not the most impressive song Von Shakes have released, but it is not impossible to enjoy. Arguably the best track of the three is Talk and Crawl (Get Back), once again adopting the classic quiet-loud approach which they seem to be latching on to. It is certainly one that could garner some radio airplay as a result of the lovely vocals and less-than-hard rock elements.
Although each song is listenable, the EP leaves something to be desired; perhaps a few more songs showcasing Von Shakes’ ability to write and perform some very interesting alternative rock songs. An EP is traditionally used to fill the gap between album releases and perhaps generate some excitement for the next LP release. This EP, however seems to contain the mildest of songs, based on their previous, they are not up to standard, and it would seem that while they are gigging in Manhattan, they did not want their loyal Irish audience to think that had disappeared off the radar. A passable EP, mostly because we expect so much, and it we hope that when it comes to a new album, they will pull out the big songs.