Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

The return of Steve Taylor to making music after a 20 year gap was a very welcome development. 'Goliath' showed he was making music on his own terms and this he didn't feel like over-explaining and simply let the songs do the talking, with a very tight and creative band including drummer Peter Furler and guitarist Jimmy A. For this new EP, they have teamed up with Daniel Smith from the Danielson Family and the results are unusual. They adopted the rule that if a song sounded like something they'd already done it would be thrown out. The eclectic results are fabulous and the six tracks explode out of the speakers. Lead vocals are shared by Smith and Taylor and like many of his solo projects, the meanings of the songs only slowly emerge with repeated listenings. I love the title cut whose video has a Devo vibe and plenty of water balloons! This album really doesn't sound like anyone else which is quite an achievement in this day and age but it is propelled by a punk aesthetic and Jimmy Abegg's excellent guitar work. On paper, you'd never have guessed that the marriage of Taylor and Danielson's music would produce something that works this well, but Wow!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.