Posted on: January 11, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Individuals might be familiar with Ambulance LTD from their 2004 album, which garnered all sort of critical praise as the band did the late night show circuits. This EP is a bridge between the previous disc and the upcoming full length, and gives individuals two completely new songs, some retooled/demo tracks and a Pink Floyd cover to chew on. For those individuals that might not have had the chance to hear Ambulance LTD’s first album, the style of music that the band comes forth with is something that looks back to the rock of bands like The Beatles and an early nineties type of indie rock.

This fusion of styles is recontextualized for the current period, and with songs like “Fearless” (the aforementioned Pink Floyd cover) the band has enough talent to transfer the song to their own style while still retaining some of the original guideposts. The beauty inherent on “New English” is shown well even considering the fact that the band has much less room to work with during the reduced tracklist. Ambulance LTD continues with the same general sound of “New English” with the title track from the disc. The band postures itself to be a less caustic version of Oasis, with actually interesting arrangements to keep listeners happy. There are still the linkages made between the current period and the mid-sixties, but what seems to come forth much more audibly are the Shawn Lennon-styles that swirl around the band. For the fans of Ambulance LTD, this “New English” EP will be what is needed to tide them over until the new album comes out. For new fans of the band, this disc has enough different material to allow for a listener to make an informed decision about the band.

What should be most exciting about Ambulance LTD is the fact that they can use something like the guitar work present in “Take Me Out”-era Franz Ferdinand and so drastically change it by only throwing a set of vocals over it. Ambulance LTD is a different sound in the sea of similar bands. With their “New English” EP, the band will undoubtedly win over many new fans as well as stay faithful to their current listeners. There is little on this disc that the band still has to work on; there is no need for the band to be any more pointed, as the blunt attacks of “New English” should be enough to slide in imperceptibly alongside listeners.

Top Track: Fearless

Rating: 6.0/10

Ambulance LTD – New English EP / 2006 TVT / 8 Tracks / http://www.ambulancenyc.com / http://www.tvtrecords.com /

[JMcQ]

Leave a Comment