Lost Demos have seemingly appeared from nowhere, emerging out of jam sessions centring around the songs of vocalist/guitarist Peter Hobbs.

Describing themselves as psychedelic, swamp folk alt-country, the six-piece band certainly fit that bill on ‘Viva Lost Demos,’ with woozy, ramshackle, swampy, bluesy material that has just a wee bit of Tom Waits and Nick Cave in the influences, noticeable especially on the raucous Fired Up For You.

The songs are an abundance of sounds and harmonies, with banjo and trumpet making an impact on Swipe Your Card, while the live rendition of Darkest Black provides a sonic atmosphere and a landscape that works well for the band.

Cured By The Disease is the anomaly here, the most conventionally structured of the songs, although this proves to highlight limitations in the lyric writing.

‘Viva Lost Demos’ is a short EP debut – at just four tracks it provides a taster to the band and Hobbs’ songwriting.

An interesting start, I imagine development will bring out further layers of musical complexity and inspiration.