This is a review of "British Daylight" recorded by British Daylight. The review was written by Jonny Mawson in 2011.

British Daylight are a relatively new band, but they are already playing headline shows at Eiger Studios, The Well and The Cockpit Room 3. Now they have a debut EP (which is up for free download at http://soundcloud.com/british-daylight/sets/british-daylight-ep/ ) and it's time to see if they live up to the hype surrounding them, well in a few words, yes, they do.

Right from the off you can tell this is a very heavily Libertines influenced affair, opening track 'Tedious' with 2 overlaying chirpy guitar lines, and simple but brilliantly fitting drumming, even quoting The Libertines "Our hero once said, don't look back into the sun." This would usually be a setup for a disastrously generic post 2004 we-wish-we-were-the-libertines band, but there is something about British Daylight that keeps you listening, and the rest of the EP makes you glad you did keep listening.

Next track 'Livin' Free' is like The Fratellis meets The Pigeon Detectives, with the energy of early Fratellis and a chord sequence reminiscent of Pigeons track 'Everybody Wants Me.' This is in my opinion the EP highlight, an incredibly catchy indie tune, nothing too complex, but that's because it doesn't need to be, it's a simple and honest little indie tune.

We then move onto 'Both Sides,' which is about as dark as this band gets. Rob Walker is another singer to carry his accent into his singing, to great effect, which makes me long for the vocals from the days of early Arctic Monkeys. The only criticism I would have for this song is that it goes on a bit too long in the same way, after the second verse it just feels quite repetitive, however there is a good indie solo which continues the Arctic Monkeys theme I mentioned from earlier.

Final track 'Stick To Your Guns' is the band's proper get up and go Dirty Pretty Things influenced track, whenever I hear this song I just want to dance, this should be played in indie discos up and down the land, and I hope that one day soon it will be.

All in all this is a very good first effort, it is clearly a raw, unpolished debut, but that is part of its charm, keep an eye out for these guys, I can see them going far.