UK rock group Nothing But Thieves were quick to follow up their 2017 sophomore album, Broken Machine, with this 4 track EP written on the road touring that album; released just over a year later. While I enjoyed the promo single, Forever And Ever More, I pretty much forgot about the EP until it's release a few months later. I expected a bunch of pretty good tracks, just to hold fans over until the next full LP. What I got was a couple of the best tracks the band has ever recorded, with the other two being pretty great as well.
Forever And Ever More opens the EP with a crunchy guitar line and Conor Mason's characteristic falsetto vocals. The track deals with the bands usual themes of feeling emotionally trapped, embracing the worst impulses, but now with an added fun, vampiric twist. Gods starts off sounding straight out of Bends-era Radiohead, with the muddy acoustic guitar and Conor's dry, hoarse vocals. That is until the chorus hits and utterly explodes into one of the bands loudest cuts. The breakdown towards the end of this track is absolutely ferocious. After that You Know Me Too Well slows things down, sounding more akin to some of the slower moments from their debut. The rich production and Conor's gentle vocals create a sensual atmosphere which really draws you in. The final track, Take This Lonely Heart, is up there with the very best the band has created in my opinion. The loud, anthemic tune just builds and builds in intensity as Conor's souring vocals seethe so much raw emotion.
This EP is really great and has me even more exited for where the band goes next than Broken Machine did (I think that album is also pretty great). Its definitely their best produced and most consistent release yet.
Top Tracks: Forever And Ever More, Gods, You Know Me Too Well, Take This Lonely Heart
8/10
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