Nine Miles South are an English based southern rock band with a Danish lead singer - yes that's right, it's hard to believe they don't all come from Alabama, we know - and they have just released their debut three track EP. "Three tracks is that all? It's hardly worth the effort" I hear you cry. Wrong. In an all too short twelve minutes the band manage to showcase exactly what they are all about. All three tracks are surprisingly different and all are a very inviting illustration for what is to come.
The Reckoning opens with a real Louisiana drawl on guitar followed by a marriage of a bottleneck caressing guitar strings which makes your ears sit up and take notice; When Seb Mikkelsen's meaty vocals finally kick in we know that this is special. Whilst there are elements of this track that sound like other revisionist rock 'n' roll bands, there is that certain something, a je ne sais quoi about Nine Miles South that shines through. It's the whole package: the retro, yet modern sounding combination of riffs, percussion and general arrangement. There is a rawness to them, but they are highly polished. The track goes a bit head-bangerish towards the end it shows a band unafraid of messing with the parameters of their music.
Leave Me Beis a indie style, radio friendly track, reminiscent of 90s indie rock with a bit of the Foo Fighters added to give it a punch. Like The Reckoning it's well crafted and memorable with various musical twist and turns which keep it from being too predictable. It's also a song that makes use of a sterling percussion section.
Fingernailsstarts with a return to the guitar based intro that we first heard, but adding a thumping drum line and some solid riffing makes it more much more aggressive outlaw rock. It's dark, sexy and a wonderful example of their musicianship.
Nine Miles South are a perfect example of musical round robin that has been going on for years between us and our Yankee cousins. They have taken the American reworking of our rock 'n' roll (al la Rival Sons and co) and repackaged it with that typically edgy European sound. Quite simply it's bluesy, dirty, English rock at its best!
Nine Miles South are: Seb Mikkelsen – vocals and guitar, Jon Antony - Guitar and Backing Vocals Andy Sleigh - Bass and Backing Vocals David Wilson - Drums