Let’s talk about literacy. Bands, especially those from Glasgow, often seem lacking in matters of musical literacy and too often fall into the one two three chord trap of indie rock or the folk fiddling homogeneity of the cardigan wearing beard scratchers. Sometimes however, a band gets it right having read the book of the past and actually understood its meaning.
The band? They are called Hot Jupiter and the least kind thing that I can say about this four song EP is that it is mature. Nothing here sounds accidental – not even, I would imagine, Patrick Gallagher’s pseudo mid Atlantic drawl - with the result being distinctly professional, again unusual for a Glasgow band. Lyrically, even the superficially Americana feel of “Follow Me” turns out to more acoustic Springsteen than check shorts and dungarees and, as for “New Day”, that song should easily find itself welcome in the moisturised hands of an over the hill boy band looking for career revitalisation.
As musicians, Hot Jupiter do well too with kudos especially due to the mature – there’s that word again – jazz inflected contribution to the overall sonic pleasure provided by Amy Xaychaleune’s violin.
A very literate set then from a band with a clear potential for success. Go, treat your ears!
The EP is available from iTunes.