A reasonably enjoyable listen.
Joe Doris and James Murgatroyd are The Kickliner from Derby. They prefer not to stick a label on their music and, when listening to new EP ‘Seventeen’, you may not find it easy to find a label for any of the five tracks. The duo appear to have created some songs that take inspiration from a number of different styles based around a chilled-out acoustic sound, which is sometimes cheerful and occasionally haunting.
The title track builds up slowly and, at seven minutes in length, it can seem like a bit of a chore to listen to at first. However, the atmospheric feel of the track succeeds at holding the listener in for the duration.
The rest of the EP delivers a similar sound that is relatively quiet and simple, but enjoyable and easy-going at the same time. There are a few miserable moments but the band make up for these during the more cheerful songs, where some elements of folk-rock can be heard. Unfortunately, a track called ‘This Season’s Blues’ doesn’t contain much in the way of blues, but it is a pleasant acoustic track all the same. The gentle, melodic guitar soloing that the duo occasionally employ makes them sound a bit like a relaxed Arctic Monkeys.
Mellow closer ‘Ladder To The Sun’ provides an end to a reasonably enjoyable listen. The Kickliner is not the most exciting or entertaining band, but many people would enjoy their unique calm collection of rock music.