The Sheffield Scenester

We last saw Arkham Karvers at the Dead Like Harry album launch night, and due to a few sound issues at the time...their set had more of an indie sound to it, than the reggae influence they seem to cherish so lovingly, so it was somewhat of a surprise when I listened to this EP, to discover, that not only had the indie raunch been dropped but they had produced an almost acoustic rendition of their material.

Opening with the track ‘Arkham’, you are drawn into the style of the entire recording with delicate guitars thriving on this unheralded clarity, drums and bass passively jostle for attention while Dave Gash’s vocals come through as clear as a bell. If this is their definitive sound then it’s a far cry from the sets I’ve heard them perform at both the O2 and The Plug. Don’t get me wrong because this is far from criticism, in fact quite the opposite, as this shows a certain degree of maturity and initiative in musical output. With a layered vocal track smoothing out any rough edges it turned out to be quite an impressive opening track by any standard.

Secondly we have the track ‘Alaska’ which as I remember was the best track at their last gig, primarily because the tune itself is such a catchy little number....so much so you aren’t really given a choice in the matter...you are gonna like it! Quite opposite to the opener...this song is totally driven by the vocals with the added bonus of some of the most enchanting guitar work on the solo. Dave’s vocals are pitch perfect for this style of song as he deploys himself between poetic recital and dead pan delivery with a near subtle indifference. This is the bands strongest nod to its reggae roots, jaunting along at a steady but laid back pace throughout, it’s easy to see why this is one of their most infectiously danceable tracks.

At this point we are taken to a slightly more indie based track called ‘Diamonds’, which dispenses with the more subtle reggae riffs, instead taking on a modern strum to beef up the rhythm. On a first listening, you may be wondering why it seems vaguely restrained...well this is no doubt to compliment the opening tracks, once we are introduced to the solo however, we are definitely in indie territory. With very little imagination required this is more like the sound I’d become accustomed to at their live sets!

To finish off the EP the recording ‘Leeches And Fingernails’ takes us back to the more delicate structure of the opening tracks, but as a bonus of sorts we are treated to Dave’s usage of his megaphone – to give the track an almost outer-worldly effect. It has to be noted as well this is the only song on the disc which contains a small degree of profanity...albeit the odd word here or there, but taking these into account....it doesn’t distract from the overall calming effect this particular brand of light reggae has on the listener.

As I said at the beginning it’s a far cry from their traditional live performances...but it certainly works, exposing as it does their more subtle musicianship that sometimes gets buried when played through a wall of speakers; this has the effect of giving you a more intimate interpretation of their musical direction.