Carve Our Names

Seemingly a lifetime in the making (well ok, about three years or so) Carve Our Names is the debut album from Larne three-piece Dutch Schultz. Rising from the ashes of forgotten local heroes Throat, the Dutch boys aren’t as blood-thirsty as their former incarnation and have replaced the bludgeoning riffs with a keen sense of melody and it’s to their benefit. That doesn’t mean that Dutch Schultz are no longer compelled by the power of the riff though, it’s just that the edges have been softened and polished up a little. Carve Our Names is a definite grower. Far from being immediate or “catchy” (God forbid) the slab of wax takes time to warm to, but once you do it’s a rewarding listen and is one of the best Irish releases of the year so far. Some things are worth the wait.