Doe: First Four

Artist: Doe
Title: First Four
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Released: 6th October 2014
Reviewed By: Katherine Tapp

One of the interesting things about being a fan of an artist for a long time is that you can hear their growth, or in some cases regression, with each new release. Doe's new LP, First Four, combines their previous four EPs together, showcasing material from March 2013 right through to April 2014, providing a unique insight into how far they have come as a band.

While the first part of the LP is rather weak in comparison to later tracks, the third track, Unrested, is worth checking out. The vocals start off slow, with the instrumentals providing a punchier tune that builds up  into the catchy chorus. The female and male vocals compliment each other well throughout the song.

The fifth track, Nowhere Girl, is a fast-paced song that seems to be less indie influenced and leans closer to the punk side of Doe. It is a considerably shorter track than the others but the combination of instrumentals and Nicola Leel's repetition of "she's going nowhere" make it a track that is definitely going to get stuck in your head.

Another favourite from the album is eighth track, Swings And Roundabouts, with its short introduction of guitars leading up to Leel's soft, yet confident, voice. This track highlights the talent behind Leel and Jake Popyura's vocals, which blend together brilliantly.

The downside to releasing an LP like this is it was difficult to listen to it all in one go without starting to lose interest. The EPs were written as short-run, stand-alone records, and so shoving them all together causes the album to become a bit jumbled. You'll be comfortably listening to the first part of the EP, and then suddenly you're introduced to new techniques regarding their instrumentals, concepts and tone. While this does well in showing Doe's improvement over time, it doesn't make for easy listening. But really, you wouldn't listen to this LP expecting it to be perfect in this respect.

Overall, Doe have a lot of talent and cleverly make up for their lack of bass guitar. While there are some downsides to the LP's structure, it is definitely worth the purchase considering the individual tracks.