Reviewed by Peter Timmis

Hailing from France and sporting an exquisitely unconventional name you know from the outset that Amen Birdmen are going to offer something a little different. This six track EP is an extraordinary piece of work in the way that no two tracks sound the same, in fact, the band pull off the neat trick of actually switching style part way through a song making 'Battle 79' a riotous rollercoaster ride of a record. The opening title track begins as a '70s style riff-heavy rocker with a superb falsetto vocal but right after a brilliantly executed Jimmy Page-esque guitar solo the track explodes into extreme electronica. Great stuff. The EP's epic centrepiece "Spirits" is another standout track beginning with swirling synths and a dreamy melody then it toughens up with brash guitars and a gritty vocal before switching to a delicate piano for the outro. Singer Cy Bodin proves himself to be a chameleon of a vocalist even conjuring up a convincing English accent on "Doglife" a track that exudes Roxy Music style retro cool. Amen Birdmen are a band that simply won't be pigeon-holed and are one of the most exciting things to happen in music this year.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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