Short and sweet and very, very good was the Buddy Holly
blueprint which The Beatles and others adhered to during the pop explosion of
the ’60s. ‘Hidden Pigeon’ the debut EP from Dublin beat quartet The Statics
takes the same approach to song writing. Each track built with layers of
distilled melody crammed into 3 minutes of joyful escapism.
Once title track Hidden
Pigeon emerges from a languid intro it quickly establishes each band member’s
individual credentials as musicians. The interplay between the rhythm section
of Jacqueline Campion (Drums) and Thomas Nugent (bass) is impressive with
walking melodic basslines and tip top snare work creating a throbbing base for
Liam Gardner (Vocals/guitar) and Daragh O’Connell (Guitar/Vox) to build upon. O’Connell’s
guitar switches between playful staccato jerks and funky moments while a double
tracked solo bounces between the gaps. While Gardner’s Vocals are in the
instantly recognisable category think Liam Gallagher with a Dublin drawl and
the ability to hit more notes.
Alone is the EP’s
standout moment. It’s a perfect pop song; simple, relentless, and memorable
from start to finish. Every vocal line is a hook and every note played demands
to be hummed in response. Once again it is reminiscent of pop’s heyday, but
there isn’t a hint of pastiche to be heard anywhere. The Statics clearly
possess the ability to create tracks which stand up to the shadow of their
influences. The Statics have created a vivid EP which indicates they will have
a lot to offer in the future.
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