Monday 9 May 2016

EP: Just Mustard - Just Mustard

Just Mustard EP Dundalk


Just Mustard - Greedy Ape


Info: Dundalk lo-fi and alternative rock five-piece Just Mustard released their eponymous EP at the weekend. 

From the opening of first track 'Gingham Skin' you immediately get where Just Mustard are in terms of their sound, it traverses from the shoegaze of My Bloody Valentine, to the experimental fuzz of Sonic Youth and at times The Dandy Warhols debut album. The wry line; 'There's more to life than chocolate spread' summarising the bands nonchalant mood across the five tracks.

We then move on to the excellent 'Greedy Ape' (above), a delightfully blissed out single that displays an acute awareness of both style and sound within the genre they are operating in. Bending guitars, static distortion and a peach of a pre-chorus riff and bass-line bringing the track and Just Mustard to another level.


Just Mustard - Pictures


But this isn't all about sticking to a formulaic standard, far from it, on 'Ice Cream' Just Mustard zip off to dream pop territory, the solemnly haunting vocals and placid off-beat percussion creating a mellow and hypnotic mood which paves the way for a screeching finale of cymbals and distorted guitar effects. And then, woah, 'Pictures', I loved this track (above), it's like the darkness of Killing Joke lathered in Pixies bass-lines, a psychedelic vocal carries a hard rock cacophony that will make your ears bleed honey. 

Final track 'Under Blue' fits in perfectly with what has come before it, a whirlwind of Just Mustard's sounds all in one place and a send off that will leave the listener in no doubt as to who they are and what they have created. Fans of many genres will love this EP, shoegaze, dream pop, lo-fi and even post-punk and rock, the Dundalk band should and will be heard by many following this solid and wholesome release.


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