RISING SIGNS - THE GREY MAN E.P.

You wouldn't believe that it's less than a year since this band re-launched their career. From a confident but structurally unsound start, through improvements that made you marvel at the speed and ease with which this band could progress, as concert after concert saw the band rising upwards on every level - I think I've attended 95% of them, too - and as the band become more of a force to be recognized, the first phase of the rise of the Rising Signs is now culminating in this EP, one that heralds the undoubted start of the second phase in the band becoming truly a top flight act.
In all the times I've seen this band, I never thought that you could achieve the very essence of what makes them so special, on a CD, but they've gone into the wonderful T-Pot Studios, and come out with something very special indeed. From the first strains of warm acoustic guitar, brief bass, distant chiming electric guitars that gather like white clouds in a blue sky, through soaring multi-part vocal harmonies and the strength of drums, so "Grey Man" unfolds - and when vocalist Frankie comes in with the verse, the picture is complete and the hairs are standing up on the back of your neck as the song flows ahead. Then, with band shining bright, and guitars ringing out, it gets to the chorus, and you just melt in the sheer wonder of one of the finest tracks that the Doves or Coldplay would have killed to have written. The track goes on with this twin guitar refrain swirling around in your head as the vocals rise up and become ever more impassioned, the chorus and harmonies even stronger, the delivery so heartfelt on a song that you just want to hear again and again and again.
But you move on - this time to the electric guitar swirl and thumping drums that open 'Devils Eyes' as the band crunch in, this time more urgent and on fire, as Frankie provides an equally searing but yearning vocal over the top of the surging guitar-led charge, as the swirling guitars glide over the rumbling drums and strident bass. It's a class song that flies towards the storming instrumental finale where the bass throbs and drums crash as an incendiary twin-guitar lead lights up the skies and leaves you jaw-dropped in amazement, the whole thing flowing to a head-bending end point.
The opening of "False Hope" features a restrained psychedelic almost Floydian guitar before Frankie come in with a suitably heartfelt, yearning vocal lead as the band gradually emerge, first bass, then gentle but solid drums, distant chiming electric guitar, as it all builds towards the oh-so memorable and truly addictive chorus, as the band flies in before dropping back to a gorgeous sea of lilting lead guitar, more of the psychedelic swirl, and then the song continues this time with superb dual vocals and harmonies from Frankie and drummer Michael on a song that mixes strength and delicacy with ease and enjoyment, the whole song absolutely endearing itself to you in every way, as it proceeds to climb up a notch and let the band ring out as the guitars spiral upwards, rhythm section climbs - but then it drops back once again to reveal a lone bass, before the hairs once more stand up on the back of your neck as Frankie's pleading vocal emerges, accompanied by guitar and background vocal - and then - blat!! - the band and vocalist explode into the chorus as the whole thing climbs even higher than it did before, ending in a glorious shower of fading harmonies and guitars - simply sensational!! All that's left to do is play it again - of that there is no question - you are drawn inexorably to playing it again - as you will from now on, enjoying the first fruits of a band that are undoubtedly destined for the top. This is quality with a capital "Q" - and then some!

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