The Murlocs: Young Blindness

The record alternates between raw textures and choruses that sit just on the right side of sloppy, and the band seems to gain great pleasure from staying within its own sonic spectrum, albeit while occasionally playing with convention along the way.

For the most part, fuzzy remnants of guitar rule the day, but there are occasionally tinges of wailing harmonica and a hefty, drunken drawl; touches that evoke the shadowy sing-song flair of the early Stones. Three tracks in, ‘Adolescence’ reflects on the standard qualms one faces in their early-to-mid-20s, while the scuzzy riffs build up to a percussive blowout in ‘Wolf Creep’.

Instant foot-stomp generator ‘Unknown Disease’ is blissfully juxtaposed by the mild measure of ‘Rolling On’ and ‘Let Me Down Lightly’. Though it sits towards the end of the record, ‘Think Out Loud’ is a notable highpoint and closes out proceedings in the best possible way.

Young Blindness might not necessarily feel like it’s breaking any new ground per se, but the ground it is treading, it’s treading pretty damn well.