When you consider the three members of The Don Ramos Players have been involved with the likes of Twofold, Ten Second Break, Placid Storm, Top Chess, Lego Disco, The Dave House Band, Black Brides, If We Fight We Fight, Diagnosis Murder, Howard's Alias, The Steal and Young Soul Rebels, you could be forgiven for thinking TDRP were simply just some kind of super group. And in a sense - the same sense The Steal are such a band - they are. While not as fast and furious as Mr House and co, TDRP are just as ludicrously good. There's a The Smiths vibe on some of the tracks, although the band claim to be "a super combo of Small Brown Bike, The Lawrence Arms, The Loved Ones and Hot Water Music." Which, let's face it, sounds very apetising indeed...
While just a five-track, DIY released EP, there's enough promise here to suggest the band can make as big an impact, if not bigger, than their former bands/side projects have done. Each of the five tracks has an edgy guitar riff coated in some glorious vocal melodies and soaring harmonies, making the rougher bits juxtapose rather nicely against the vocals. And it creates some really catchy songs. 'The Tickleshay' and 'Red and Blue' are little gems, while 'Distractions' is a little less obvious yet every bit as good.
I guess if you made Hot Water Music a little less gruff and slowed them down you can tell where the band's infleunces lie - the choruses are all here, yet there remains a punk rock ethic and DIY sound that isn't compromised in their quest for the perfect hook. The fact 'Inkjets and Toners', a song which was demo-d after this release, is arguably their best song shows how much talent the band have. Keep an eye on this lot, I have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more in 2007.
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