Round the board
It's been a rapid rise for Teeside trio Dartz! Since forming in 2005 they've made real inroads and have received numerous plaudits from all quarters, culminating in Xtramile signing them back in June of this year.
'St.Petersburg' starts well enough with a catchy riff, it's firmly planted in indie soil but has a good feel to it and a rawness in the production. There's a nice tempo change mid way through but it was needed as the main riff and verse were becoming repetitive and somewhat uninspiring. The vocals aren't great; clean and honest in their delivery certainly but they do little other than serve their purpose at a basic level. It's not a bad track but it finishes just as it was getting going and as a single the impact it creates is more of a pebble than a meteorite.
The second track 'X Ray Bex' is more interesting all together, whilst it has the same angular feel to it, it's also far more direct, punchy and urgent. Where 'St. Petersburg' fell short of really stamping Dartz! authority, 'X Ray Bex' does a far better job. The chorus is loud and shouted and is more Fugazi where 'St.Petersburg' was more Franz Ferdinand, I know which I'd prefer.