Little Comets - “Little Italy”

In today’s indie scene, popular artists have been reminded that it’s possible to combine insightful lyrics with rock instrumentation. Multi-dimensional, meaningful lyricism isn’t incompatible with radio-friendly indie rock, and the success of bands like Alt-J and Arcade Fire proves that it still sells to get listeners’ minds moving, as well as their feet. British trio Little Comets would roll their eyes at such observations - they’ve been doing it for years, and doing it well.

The Gentle EP gets its hands dirty with an array of controversial themes. ‘The Blur, the Line and the Thickest of Onions’ hits out at perhaps the world’s most hated pop star and the empowerment of misogyny in the music industry, while ‘Coalition of One’ decries the majoritarian agenda of those privileged leaders who callously pursue profit at the expense of the few. ‘Little Italy’, below, is the first track on the EP and explores the need to pull apart and rebuild one’s own moral compass so that you know how it works.

As vocalist and guitarist Robert Coles points out, the lyrics are fast-paced and percussive, and the number of syllables in each verse removed the pressure to prune or oversimplify his ideas. Importantly, though, it’s not all serious; one listen and the prancing melody and tickling guitar loop will convince you that Little Comets haven’t forgotten how to write catchy music. It’s a difficult balancing act, but this band manage it deftly.

They are, after all, professionals.