Reviewed by Philip Woodward

Following on from 2007's 'Brightness' EP, Canterbury-based Eben bestow upon us their 'Washed White EP', a collection of songs not dissimilar from their debut two years ago. Due to the epic nature of Eben's compositions, not to mention singer Olly Knight's slight falsetto, they have often harboured comparisons with Coldplay and Jeff Buckley, and it is easy to note the similarities between Eben and the early days of Chris Martin's band. Over the last two years, Eben have been touted by a number of popular tastemakers, and demonstrate these credentials, possessing a very impressive understanding of the quiet/loud dynamic throughout the EP, whilst the vocals of Knight and Alison Parish intertwine nicely. Second track "You Bring The Rain" is probably the strongest on the five-track release, its guitar riff, although simple, frames the song perfectly. A bright future could be on the cards for this young English quintet, providing they continue to work hard at their craft and develop their sound. An album proper must be the next aim, as one of the main pitfalls of this disc is its brevity. Fans impressed with this release, not to mention the previous EP, will be demanding a full-length album from Eben to establish their position as one of music's hottest new bands.

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.

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