Very Nice Harry appear to be making quite a name for themselves at the moment, and on the back of their previous release, ‘Reformat’, it’s easy to see why. It’s difficult not to be impressed with their intelligent and thoughtful take on the math-pop brought to prominence by the likes of Foals, as seen on songs like ‘Undisclosure’ and ‘Vegas’. Unfortunately, their new single struggles to reach the same heights.

Instrumentally, lead track ‘Tongue in Cheek’ impresses. From the Foals-like jangle at the beginning, to the little breakdown at the end, it’s clear that these guys know what they’re doing. The trouble is, though, that the song itself doesn’t really go anywhere. The verses are rather weak, and the “wa-oh”s don’t have any real impact. That said, the more you listen to it, the more you forget about the vocals and focus on the music – which, as I said, is definitely impressive.

B-side ‘Under the Weather’ is better, even if doubts still linger. The melody is more likeable, with a warm change of tone for the hook, which contrasts with the flat melody of the previous song, although it isn’t a radical improvement. That said, the blend of synths and guitars comes off very well, especially at the end where it melts down into something that does resemble their earlier work.

Very Nice Harry appear to have shifted the emphasis away from the music and more towards the vocal melody, which leaves them a little exposed. Of course, they are still finding their feet and defining their own sound, so it’s only natural to come up short somewhere along a line. Even if you’re a little put off by this, keep an eye on these guys. They still have heaps of potential!

Download ‘Tongue In Cheek’ from iTunes, here / Very Nice Harry