Yet another high-flying musical quartet to hail from the North Dublin area (hot on the heels of Delorentos et al), The Kinetiks have been steadily plugging away on the scene for the past year, honing their craft, accepting numerous high-profile support slots and simultaneously - if you've ever witnessed them live - building a rather impressive, and always enthusiastic fan base. High Horse Olympics is their debut Ciaran Bradshaw-produced EP - a man whose recent work with young bands like the Evil Harrisons has paid testament to his ability to bring out the best of raw talent. Has he worked his magic on The Kinetiks, however? Well, yes and no. There's no doubt that this is a band with a shedload of potential - the uptempo bop and attitudal pop-rock of A Smile'd Crack Your Face is enjoyable but somehow unfinished, while the dark, playful tension of Run Run Run could be a Kooks track with a bit more spit 'n' polish. It's the Strokesy pop of I Try that really showcases songwriter Gary Harding's promise, though; it's a well-structured, sweetly brassy tune with an unmistakable Mardy Bum-like sentiment. There's most definitely a market for The Kinetiks in Ireland and perhaps even further afield - but only time will tell whether this refreshing enthusiasm will endure. Let's hope so.
