Flipron - Hanging Round the Lean-to with Grandad

Jesse Budd, the man behind Flipron, could turn out to be my new hero. Perusing their bizarre myspace, I came across a multitude of things to make me smile. Listing their influences, amongst others, as being The Specials, Madness, The Velvet Underground, Toots and the Maytals, and The Small Faces – I was in love with them before even hearing the EP. 'Hanging Round the Lean-to with Grandad' is a heartfelt, charming piece of work – and it's not really until the second and third tracks that their ska/blues roots become apparent. The title track is a gorgeous, original piece of work – a lazy summer's day in three minutes, not too dissimilar to Jim Noir, or Alfies' earlier work.

Track two sees the bands second wave ska influences shining through, whilst retaining its sense of charm and Britishness. Third tack 'The Flipron theme' is probably the EPs best offering- the dark keyboards, whispering vocals and bluesy drumming smack of early Specials and Madness material; but it still manages to retain Fliprons 'magic', so to speak.

This EP is something special – managing to take influences from the best bands that Britain had to offer; yet still making the music their own. 'Hanging Round the Lean-to with Grandad' is charming, light-hearted and impossible to pin down to one genre – just how it should be.

Cara Drury