Twin Atlantic are all about the big melodies. They are simply crammed into this mini-album, running around, layered over each other, leading to big, cheery choruses like a younger, more carefree Biffy Clyro.
Opener – and standout – ‘Light Speed’ sets the style from the start and throughout, there’s little let-up of the jaunty riffs. Here and there, like on ‘Old Grey Face (And the Way of the Magenta)’ they take an unexpected twist; winding here and there and keeping things interesting. It’s a little starting sometimes – almost as if the band’s about to lose their way amongst the time signatures and exciting guitar bands – but they manage to pull it back in the majority.
As reported on single ‘You’re Turning Into John Wayne’, the band is unimpressed with Scots acts who base too much emphasis on taking their style from American acts; Vivarium, with its impassioned, clearly Scottish vocals (“I love my country”, Sam McTrusty sings on ‘Caribbean War Syndrome’), somewhat underlines their point. They might not want to sound like their from the US of A, but the confidence they show sure isn’t characteristically Scottish. They might need a little time to grow, but as a mini album, this is a great taste of a band who know where to find the tunes; and aren’t afraid to use them.
