CPNHGN: Inhale Exhale

A short, sharp breath or a wheezy sputter? There are no known connections to Scandinavia with this Newbridge quartet, but presumably they reckoned that Copenhagen sounded better than KLDR. Their debut album is well played and produced but, like the first steps of many straight-up guitar bands, it simply lacks a spark. The piercing signature guitar sound of acts such as Editors rears its heads on the indie guitar shred of When Nobody's Talking, while other songs quickly find their groove but settle too comfortably into formulaic tempos (largely brisk with surging choruses) and the occasional lyrical cliché. Eighty Eight is about the best track here, lightening the heaviness of the album's overall tone with a dreamy intro that recalls underrated Monaghan rockers The Flaws' best moments. Overall, though, it's an ordinary and unfortunately forgettable calling card. cpnhgn.com
Download: Eighty Eight, Cry Wolf