A seven-piece indie outfit hailing from southwest England, Race display a little more flair than many, mixing in something of a laid-back-jazz feel alongside the obvious delirious? and britpop influences. The overall sound is fairly understated, but from time to time the emotion and instrumentation build up. Alongside guitar, bass, and drums we are treated to a little piano, some juicy hammond work, and a flute. Robin Coward's vocals are fairly prominent and reminiscent of Martin Smith (delirious?), especially in terms of inflections, although they generally come in a lower register and there are none of Smith's falsettos.
All six tracks are originals, penned by the aforementioned Mr. Coward. They are generally addressed to God, dealing with the frailties and weakness of the human heart. A favourite here is the third track, "Oh, Revealer of Mysteries":
Oh, Revealer of Mysteries
come down and show yourself to me
show me the things I can't see
with these eyes
reveal your plans for me
The vocals are sometimes a little strained, and the arrangements could do with some tightening. They're a young band, however, and as they write more songs their distinctive feel could really blossom.
3 tocks
