Mr Heart just may be one of the finest bands I've heard in a long long while. Fronted by the hugely enigmatic Tamsin Middleton, this all women three piece rock harder than most teenage guys do these days.

'The Hide' is a generous 6 track EP, and it's like thunder all the way, with some exciting and unexpected moments. 'Boredom's Device' rip's into action, not sounding at all unlike their recent tour companions The Fall. It's a blistering start, and wets the appetite for more.

'Dynamo' is almost grungy, with Nirvana springing to mind more than once. 'Mr Heart', whilst again having that grunge chord progression, starts off lightly, before the band again smash out a loud, intoxicating brash rock song that 'The Slits' have never achieved. Never. Not even close.

'Stones', again starts out with a searching bass line that rumbles along, but again, is light at first, before emerging like a flaming comet directly into your ears. Nice.

'The Hide' which is by far my own favorite track is just pure bliss, and it's here I realise just how brilliant his band really are, with the comparisons already made to the Seattle movement, all I'm going to say is it rages into a glorious ending of some magnitude.

'Twisted Lamp', whilst not bad, just doesn't reach the heights easily attained earlier in the EP.

If you haven't caught this band live yet, I suggest you do, as 2012 could very well be the year for Mr Heart. 5/5

http://www.mrheart.co.uk/

We reviewed this band's latest single in the last edition of the music reviews for 2011, and they are back with this free EP release.

It's been touched upon that Gabrielles Wish don't do the normal run of the mill things you expect from band's these days, and this EP is no change from that trend. Essentially an EP made up of four improvised tracks, named by the way only by the number in which they appear - it's not exactly easy listening.

The first song, 'No.1' crackles into gear with a low, anxiety inducing bass line, and flourishes of keyboards, provided by ex member of The Fall, Karen Leatham. The song doesn't go anywhere, and never promises too, and Gabrielles Wish clearly don't care if we feel let down by the journey.

'No.2' is even more isolating than the first song. Drummer Bo Walsh show's us why he's considered one of the best drummer's of his era, infact musically, this track is really going places, but the average music fan who might, and not unreasonably expect some song structure, will be let down. This is free form post punk jazz. I know, I've never heard of that genre either.

'No.3' is perhaps the best cut on this EP, with a middle eatern sounding riff motif, that's covered by both the guitars and the bass, with a haunting vocal by frontman Robert Corless.

'No.4' ends the experiment, in what is actually quite a slight, but enjoyable instrumental.

Perhaps only recommended for staunch fans, I wouldnt suggest this be the first thing you hear by the band if you haven't heard them before. 3/5

Gabrielles Wish