I don’t think I’ll be alone in my opinion that the acoustic singer-songwriter genre is engulfed by a mire of musical detritus. James Blunt, Jack Johnson, Paolo Nutini, this guy called Chris Townsend I had the misfortune to come across the other day: music would be so much better off without their soppy pap and inane, meaningless lyrics. I will give £10 to the first person who can tell me what this means: ‘Those three wise men/They’ve got a semi by the sea.’ I mean, really Blunt? Really?

Which is why it’s all the more gratifying to come across a band like Bay of Dogs. Their biography tells us that they are 20-year-olds Rob Mead (guitar) and Joe Wilson (vocals), who are ‘influenced by medieval tapestry as well as Nick Drake and Bat for Lashes.’ In fact, to my ears their sound has more in common with the genius of Jose Gonzalez than either of the above. Those unmistakable Gonzalez-esque chords hit you from the start with standout track ‘White Elephant'; soft vocals soar over driving rhythm guitar, while the minor-chord twist between verses is deliciously delicate. In fact, Rob’s guitar playing is really quite wonderful throughout these five tracks. ‘Nostromo’ and ‘Belief’ are built on beds of flowing fingerpicking, while ‘D. Gonzalez’ flits unsettlingly between two brooding guitar lines. The Nick Drake influence only really comes through in the gently melodic ‘Asylum, in which there’s even what sounds like a wood flute in the chorus. The vocals reveal elements of James Yuill, Gonzalez, and even perhaps a bit of Simon and Garfunkel. Occasionally, Joe’s tone slips slightly towards rock vocal melodrama. I’m being picky and it’s very subtle, but it’s something they would do well to avoid. Nitpicking aside, the vocals are accomplished and carry the tune well.

These songs are individual, maturely written, and, above all, just have great tunes. Bay of Dogs have managed to tap into the purity of songwriting that exists in this genre, avoiding the many pitfalls that have trapped the likes of Blunt and Johnson. If there’s one criticism that I would level against the band, it’s that the structure of their tracks is too formulaic and repetitive. Almost every track follows a repeated verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, with little variation within or between songs. The tracks are short so they don’t linger, but it would be great to hear the odd middle eight or chord variation. That said, these guys have only been around for a few months, and in this first effort they’ve demonstrated a flair for writing original, engaging songs. I for one am looking forward to hearing what comes next.