The picture on the album cover is a picture, neat! That got me thinking the guys probably had a sense of humour and when I saw they describe themselves as a perfect fruit salad; filled with juicy melodies, tasty songs, and sweet, sweet harmonies, then I was sure of it. Bands with a strong sense of humour who enjoy each other’s company and having a blast tend to produce really strong songs, and Odds & Ends are yet more proof, as this is a delight from start to finish. It has been a couple of years since their last release, but this Auckland-based quartet are back with a real bang. This is alternative rock based pop, which is just full of twists and turns, all ensuring the song comes to a climax.
It commences with a gently picked electric, the rest of the band come in quickly, then just as rapidly drop away so that it is just singer Koen Aldershof and drummer Max Earnshaw. Gradually everyone comes back in, building through to the first chorus, where guitars are riffing, and there are plenty of vocals. Again, it falls away after that, although not as low as it was previously, and the build is not quite as dramatic although the second chorus is even more sweeping. One gets the impression that with a different production then we would be listening to some Foo Fighters here, but they have emphasised the pop side, although that could well be quite different in the live environment. I am positive that this where this song will really come to life, with band and audience being one great sweaty mess by the end. I am definitely looking forward to catch these guys once lockdown is over.
8/10 Kev Rowland
