Album, Single and EP Reviews


 

 

  White Russian EP by The 4/5s


White Russian EP cover art

Artist: The 4/5s
Title: White Russian EP
Catalogue Number: No catalogue number
Review Format: EP
Release Year: 2007



Damn, I'm back in Saigon listening to a Doors cover band. Actually, the 4/5s are from Larkhall but the sonic influences are there but you might equally say that they were cut from the same cloth as The Stone Roses. That distinctive sound is all there - thumping drums, meandering guitars and the somewhat distracted vocals.

"White Russian" leads things off in a vaguely psychedelic way and seemed initially to be a pastiche of the psychedelic genre but would, on reflection,  be better classed as an affectionate tribute. "Summer of Love" rattled away in a more convincing fashion and was delivered with no small amount of style. "Bad Things" was - to use a cliché - a trip whilst "Omerta" even started with a Hunter S Thomson holiday shopping list. The song itself meandered about in an amiable (and presumably "wasted") fashion for the best part of 5 minutes without really getting anywhere. Mind you, that could have been the point.

On balance, "Summer of Love" is the best track on this EP but, for a recent release, it all sounded just a bit dated. No doubt it will have its audience but it just lacked that sparkle of originality. Kevin Feeney has a good strong voice and it would be interesting to hear him stretch himself more on their next release.


www.myspace.com/thefourfives
Reviewer:
Review Date: May 26 2008