The new single from Scottish indie poppers Little Kicks, ‘Girl’, is a nice little teaser for their highly anticipated upcoming third album. A big sound, even broader scope of imagination and a musicianship to die for, this new track is just enough to wet the appetites of both established fans and a whole new audience.
Working hard to establish a grassroots fandom, Little Kicks have everything in the right place. Clean-cut image, crisp sound and a penchant for the wistful vocals that pay the bills in today’s music market, the band could be the best known group you don’t yet know about.
This new single offers an accessible jumping on point for a band already two albums to the good.’Girl’, albeit rather lazily titled, has the gravitas and sense of accomplishment of a band much longer in the tooth than these four lads. Something record labels are tripping over themselves to get at.
A thumping drumbeat is accompanied by bass so solid it would take a sledgehammer to break, completing a more than competent percussion section. The often overlooked and unsung heroes of indie pop, having a bass and drum combo that gel so well as The Little Kicks is an asset to be cherish. ‘Girl’ does more than that, however, it pushes them to the front and makes them the star of the show.
Lyricism and harmony are also big hitters and, with the advent of Mumford & Son’s meteoric rise to fame, it’s pleasant to see it displayed so well from another band. This new single doesn’t imitate, it adds the band’s own signature to an already established and popular form of music. And all for the better, the harmonics of the later third of the song cap a delightful three and a half minutes.
Accompanied by a B-Side cover of Fleetwood Mac’s misty eyed ‘Dreams’, ‘Girl’ makes a refreshing listen and something well worth checking out. For a group more known for their live performances, this new single, and upcoming album, could prove to be a landmark moment in their careers.