From the depths of quarantine emerges the first EP from Liverpool three-piece Eyesore & the Jinx.
With only four songs and a 14 minute run time, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that not much could be said on an EP of such a seemingly small stature, how wrong you are.
Combining post-punk with indie-rock, The Exile Parlour is a debut EP to be reckoned with. It’s short run time doesn’t lessen the impact, but rather enhances it. The songs don’t feel rushed or crammed together, rather they act as a nice introduction to a band you might not have heard of. They flow together so well in fact that it’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between them, that doesn’t really take away from the quality though. It’s a taster into the world of Eyesore & the Jinx, just a small sample of what you can and should expect from them.
As a band, they write from experience. They don’t handpick topics to sing about, nor did they ever aim to become a political band. However, on this EP the three piece takes aim at the current state of not so great british society. From tackling expats and gammony holiday goers to the corrupt nature of politicians this EP holds no bounds.
Opener ‘Leisure Time’ ushers in the EP’s punkish attitude. It’s a slow burner, detailing the invasive nature of the british public. It’s a funny track, making a mockery out of your Dad and his mates while they go and get mad at people in Spain for not speaking english. The introductory guitar riff is solid and catchy, setting the tracks pace and creating a slightly menacing feeling of unease. All this leads into the band sneering as one “Enjoy yourselves / Enjoy yourselves” before the track comes to a riotous halt.
Things pick up a bit in ‘Nightlife’. It’s a commentary on, yes you guessed it, nightlife. It harbours the same messy energy as a rough night out (which is a compliment i’d say). ‘Nightlife’ – like ‘Leisure’- starts slow, but instead of saving all its energy to the end of the track, it’s delivered to us in short, joyous bursts. It’s post-punk in its prime, and it’s bloody lovely.
The last two tracks are ‘Dinner, in the Exile Parlour’, a chaotic guitar number that utilises the best instrument in the world, the cow bell, and ‘The Ballad of Big Joe’, a swaggering tune that puts politicians in their place. It’s frantic, heavy and heartfelt. A classic closing track on a cracking debut EP.
Haiku Review:
Short snappy and smart.
Quick to say what’s on their mind.
A post-punk good time.
Listen to Eyesore & the Jinx on Spotify and Apple Music. Check out our print magazine featuring, girl in red, Sorry, Dream Wife, Arlo Parks and more HERE.
