Rock Regeneration

Nov23

EP: “Big Machine” by The Cramatics

on November 23rd, 2013 at 22:25

Bournemouth based quartet The Cramatics formed in 2011, and have been very busy since then, building a loyal and ever growing fan-base through a hectic touring schedule that includes tours with the likes of Bastille, Rizzle Kicks and Maverick Sabre, among others.

They describe their sound as a combination of indie, pop and soul and have recently released their debut EP Big Machine, which is available for free download on their website.

Big Machine gets off to a good start, after a short intro we have “Summertime in June” a track which certainly lives up to its name. It’s a joyously bouncy pop-rock number, seemingly begging to be the soundtrack to a hot summer spent day messing around on the beach. This song couldn’t be more summery if it came with its own sun hat and barbeque, and it’s a strong start to the EP. Next track “Spaceman” has more of an obvious soul influence than its predecessor and could easily be the best song Bruno Mars never wrote, with its irresistible ear-worm of a hook and funky wah-wah pedal riff giving a nice hint of the 70s funk sound, while keeping the song modern. My only tiny gripe is that Rizzle Kicks style rap verses have really been done to death, they rarely add anything to songs and I really didn’t need to hear another one now.

The other highlight of the EP is the final bonus track, a skilled, slick soul pop gem which really shows how talented The Cramatics are With the exception of a short instrumental interlude, which isnít terribly necessary on a short debut EP, Big Machine as a whole is a solid first effort from The Cramatics, a set of exuberant, catchy tracks that fizz with fun and would sound perfectly at home on the radio or in a festival field. There are a couple of hiccups, of course, but overall this is solid summer listening and good first bite at the apple from this young band. It’s just a shame it was released in November!