Reviewed by Martin I Smith

Vapour Trails are an alternative rock outfit from Bristol who have spent a few years gathering and recording material for their debut. This self-titled album is a well earned pay-off for their patience, playing out like a less orchestral Future Of Forestry; the quieter spells of the record, in particular the flag ship song "Drifting On The Surf", achieves some of the luscious textures of the San Diego group's 'Travel' EP series. But things here are, on average, more rock and roll. Singer Duncan Reid can pull off ethereal moments, but he also has grit to offer, sounding, when most grimy, akin to Oasis' Liam Gallagher. The band showcase the spectrum of their sound best on standout "If I Were You", which begins gently but eventually crescendos into full rock territory and emotional vocal out lashes. There's plenty to enjoy on this record, but also a sense that the band's musical identity is still very much unsettled - it's hard to call what direction they'll follow after this. The ambiguity isn't much off a problem at this stage, it's part and parcel of an intriguing debut, but they'll have to find their voice in future releases.

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