Album Review: Death On Two Wheels - Again For The First Time EP

The name Death On Two Wheels may conjure up images of leather clad bikers with beards that rest on their beer guts, but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. EP Again For The First Time is an original offering, pairing soft, tranquil guitars with a gruff Southern brogue.

Opener ‘Calling Us Back Home’ is an acoustic gem to begin with, briefly flirting with an edgier, classic rock sound before reverting to its original soothing tones. ‘Shaking Like A Leaf’ shows a good range in front man Trae Vedder’s (rock star name or what?) vocals. Far from the soft, docile tones of the opener, his voice is transformed into a raw, more rugged drawl.

Sickly named ‘How Love Is Made’ is a decent stab at a melancholy number, but feels empty, missing a powerful bridge or crescendo to really set it apart whilst ‘Take It Away’ is a moving, potent track that steadily builds to a crashing, rocky climax. Closer ‘Two Dollar Bills’ has a country style that doesn’t leave you feeling queasy, providing an almost lullaby like atmosphere which is a fitting end to an impressive record.

Think City and Colour fused with Jack Johnson with just a hint of classic rock and pretty well have Death On Two Wheels to a tee. If they can hone their style just a wee bit, don’t bet against them becoming a more recognisable name in the future.

3.5/5

'Again For The First Time EP' by Death On Two Wheels is available on Favourite Gentlemen soon.

Death On Two Wheels on Bandcamp, MySpace and Twitter.

Liam McGarry