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Reviewed by Charlotte Crone

Roy Irwin: Jesus On Fire EP

Reviewed by Charlotte Crone

Roy Irwin: Jesus On Fire EP

‘Jesus On Fire’ will make you want to kick off your shoes after a long week, let your hair down and travel back to that infamous NYC venue CBGBs where Roy Irwin surely would’ve been welcomed with open arms. That said, the title track has a distinctly Kiwi feel with harmonies reminiscent of the Muttonbirds and textures of Chris Knox coming through. The jangly guitar tones and dreamy, delayed vocals are a world away from his earlier days in the punk band The Rabble, which formed in 2001. Appropriate to the post-punk/garage style there is a relaxed approach to elements of the production, occasionally the timing falling behind, as in the percussion and double tracking of the vocals on the cover of 1970s folk tune Ballad of the Seasons. Being a solely written and recorded EP, perhaps the involvement of an attentive producer might have ironed those out to maintain the groove. This doesn’t appear to be an issue in other self-produced tracks from Irwin’s impressive 20-release-strong discography available online. With a total listening duration of under 12 minutes, the five short tracks allow for the song ideas to be offered up without unnecessary repetition, keeping things short and sweet.