Somme - 'Somme' EP Review

Tracklist:

1. Long Time

2. Ordinary Fools

3. Love Divided

4. Tell Me

5. Don't Let Me

6. Holding Onto You

Sometimes I wish PR companies would include a bio for these reviews it would make life so much easier for us reviewer, it really would.** I know, I know...#firstworldproblems and all that. I also know that some of you are sitting there thinking “hang on, he gets to listen to music (mostly before it’s released) for free and he’s sitting moaning about lack of a bio”. I have also seen the on line petition calling for our editor to replace me with an unfeasibly large number of monkeys...slightly worried that he’s signed it, but there you go! **Editors note, the blame falls entirely on me, the amazing team at Secret Service PR sent a bio, I forgot to pass it on...

Now the reason for this slight whinge is that, given the name of this artist, and the need to do online research, I now know more than I’d really like to about the horrors of WWI. Also, thanks to the fact that Google lends itself so handily to self diagnosing, I’m now convinced that I have trench foot.

Anyway enough digression. Somme is really Jordan Cantor who spent time at The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU, before relocating to Los Angeles and emerging as Somme with her eponymous EP. If I had to describe her style, it would be an Indie/Pop kinda thing with a minor Electronica vibe and it’s really, really good...kind of like St. Etienne, but unplugged if that makes sense.

The EP follows an unhealthy relationship through from the initial stages to its end, with each song marking a phase in said relationship. Being a fan of Aimee Mann, I love a good toxic relationship theme in my music and while she doesn’t seem to pick quite as badly as Aimee, you can tell it was a bit of a raw one.

So...is it a misery fest?

Well no...it’s obviously not the cheeriest of subjects, but the vocals are stunning and when mixed with the music, haunting in places. Stand out tracks are the single “Ordinary Fools” and “Love Divided” but the whole EP is beautifully crafted and definitely worth a listen.

It’s an accomplished debut and one that promises much for future releases.