The Winter Passing
Double Exposure EP
(6131 Records / Big Scary Monsters)
It’s fitting that these Irish indie punks named their latest EP Double Exposure because their sound feels like two competing yet interwoven styles, personified by the different voices of brother and sister Rob and Kate Flynn. Fueled by Rob’s gruff punk vocals, The Winter Passing, despite hailing from Ireland, could pass for a heartland-by-way-of-
Double Exposure can thus be viewed from a number of angles, but no matter the viewpoint, this little EP is exceptionally welcoming, as openhearted as the sibling’s personal lyrics. Five of the six tracks seesaw wonderfully between melodic, grungy punk and a more new wave-y indie style, but it’s the sharpness of the hooks that shine brightest. They contrast nicely with the lyrical anguish. Even the unexpectedly dreamy “Es.cap.ism”, featuring only Kate’s airy vocals, doesn’t feel out of place; instead, it feels like Kate getting the chance to shine, like a supporting cast member of a musical getting a much-deserved solo near the play’s end. The Winter Passing have continually embraced the disparate aspects of their sound, mining their influences into something better and more coherent than expected. Double Exposure is a wonderful EP and shows signs that this Irish band have further greatness yet.
Purchase the album here: 6131 Records (US) | Big Scary Monsters (UK/EU)
