New Star EP

Apart, that is, from this lot. Hailing from Co. Donegal, Berkley have not only set their musical sights across the Atlantic, they’ve ended up recording there – in Chicago with Steve Albini, no less. The result is this stunning five-track EP, one of the best releases to emerge from these shores this year. Not surprisingly, there’s more than a nod to all things American but those influences are peerless, from the current emo scene back to the much missed Buffalo Tom. The playing is crisp and precise, Tommy McLaughlin’s vocals wringing every last drop of emotion from each song. Spellbinding.