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Written by Laura Hamlett Wednesday, 29 November 2006 04:05

If the aim of an EP is to whet appetites for more, then this self-titled disc has certainly done its job, and more. I can't wait to catch the live show.

It's just a four-song EP, but this self-titled debut by Austin's Always Already shows great promise. Though perhaps a little too much in the post-punk dance vein of bands such as the Rapture, Gang of Four, and Radio 4, the music of the Always Already is ready-made for the dance floor. The disc opens with "Kinetic Hillsides," itself a frantic, frenetic number. Lead singer Dustin Withers demonstrates solid singing skills as he delivers lines in a near-yelp. The synths are heavy on track 2, "Maybe It's Geography," which manages to ratchet up the beat a notch or two and emerges as this brief EP's highlight as, by the second verse, a second set of vocals emerges to play counterpoint to the lead. The song ends with Withers intoning, "Mother, mother" while Adam Hilton reassures, "Hey, hey, at least you tried."

"It's hard work getting the world to war," #1 repeats to kick off the politically bent "T.I.A." Despite its hard-hitting beats, this song is actually the most restrained and repetitive here, which enhances its strength. Closing the all-too-short offering is "I Am Electric," which finds #1 commanding, "Hold your shape like it's a beautiful waste." The point-counterpoint is back here, which only heightens its energy. If the aim of an EP is to whet appetites for more, then this self-titled disc has certainly done its job, and more. I can't wait to catch the live show. A | Laura Hamlett

RIYL: Gang of Four, Rahim