The Men With Strong Arms
Album: Sunshine Street
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 6
Website: http://www.themenwithstrongarms.com

The Men with Strong Arms are a trio from Brighton playing music with an eclectic background. There is an undeniable influence of blues and Americana running through this EP with an overall feeling of dinner jazz on many of the tracks.

The lyrical style is direct with very little simile, but this makes the lyrics immediately engaging and allows the listener to be enveloped in the music.

One of the major strengths of the CD is the quality of the vocal harmonies which are very reminiscent of Crosby Stills Nash and Young, achieving a soaring vocal sound on many of the songs. For me the most intriguing song on here is My Bread and Wine, comparing sexual appetite to an appetite for food. I'm not too sure whether the song was intended to be rife with double entendre, and it could be my mind but it is certainly worth a listen!

But it is the track The Men with Strong Arms itself and I find most satisfying. A song about the working class men of the industrial revolution, the lyrics describe with some passion the oppressive nature of work that manual labour held at this time. Written with a tactile skill and arranged beautifully, The Men with Strong Arms allows both the intricate vocal and subtle instrumental performances to shine brightly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this EP, it ended too soon and I look forward to hearing more.

Mike Rolland