Penguins Kill Polar Bears - Vessels & Veins

Scotland has been home to some superb musical troupes in recent years, think Twilight Sad, Aereogramme, Frightened Rabbit to name but a few.

Whether or not the unusually titled outfit Penguins Kill Polar Bears will join those lofty ranks is, judging by this second EP ‘Vessels & Veins’, still up in the air. Starting strongly with the weighty ‘Lungs’, this is post-rock by numbers, albeit done very well. If anything, Penguins Kill Polar Bears is reminiscent of the sadly defunct Redjetson, sombre melodies that build slowly into a crescendo. It’s formulaic stuff, but with a bit of polish here and there on the production, the band has certainly got potential.

Of the four tracks on offer here, it’s ‘Wish With Worry’ that retreads ground that other post-rockers have done so often before them. The layering of guitars and the ‘build-up then release’ strategy is somewhat predictable, but never offensive.

Having said that, front man Ben Proudlock’s vocals are an unexpected highlight, sounding a lot like Conor Oberst fronting Explosions In The Sky – it’s a strange combination, but it works. Whilst the band are not shy about their influences, the swelling finale of ‘Something Old’ is rousing enough to make sure we keep an eye on this band, even if they have a slight tendency to lean towards the younger end of the indie rock spectrum.