Refreshing artlessness or just plain rubbish? I’m only thinking at this stage about the cover illustrations which accompany The Follys’ ‘Sunrise’ EP. Specifically, we have a rudimentary palm tree on the front and an even more basic sun with a smiley face on the back, rendered with a level of competence that would make the efforts of a sporty six-year-old look like Gauguin. But to be honest, the dilemma is applicable to the musical content as well, with laughably bad lyrics (check out the load of bull in the title track, and I mean that literally) jostling with the occasional quite pretty melody. The musicianship is mostly sub-par, although the singing, especially on the superior ‘In the Dark’ occasionally impresses.

The band is dominated by the prolific but uneven singer-songwriter Trev Williams on guitar, aided by bassist Paul Hancock and drummer Luke Gerry. There is no signature style to the EP, which lurches from spangly indie-pop (the pretty, if obvious ‘Give a Little Love’) through half-hearted punk (’Pretty City Boy’) to hackneyed classic rock (’Butterfly’). Hancock and Gerry are not the steadiest rhythm section in the world, and to be honest the band may have been advised to have rehearsed for another year before going near a recording studio, as they still sound like they are feeling their way. That said, they cope with the intricate, hypnotic introductory riff and time changes of ‘In the Dark’ manfully. In this song, Williams’ vocals nearly reach the heights of his rather good solo album, but the track is spoiled by a too-obvious steal from The Temptations’ ‘My Girl’ and a pointless coda in which Trev protests about how deep he is.

I’ll gloss over the tedious tale of Williams’ taurean encounter- if you’re interested, it’s all there on ‘Sunrise’. In the hands of the BareNaked Ladies (there’s the odd musical nod to this band too) the material could have been mildly amusing, but wittiness  isn’t really in Williams’ locker.

Overall, not very good I’m afraid. Williams’ lyric-writing seems to be getting more childish with age, and the band is a long way from gelling. Still, there is the odd hummable tune dotted around, and not all of them were written by Smokey Robinson.

The Follys Myspace

By Colin MacKinnon

Oxford Improvisers are holding a special concert as part of the Abingdon Festival on Saturday March 8, entitled ‘Sonic Dynamics’. Exploring the fertile relationship between composition and improvisation, the event makes the most of the wonderful acoustic of St Helen’s Church in the town centre. Musicians include Chris Brown (guitar), Alexander Hawkins (piano), Darren Hasson-Davies (percussion), Julie Hamilton (clarinet), Nick Sorensen (sax), Trish Elpinstone (sax), Paul Medley (sax), Chris Hills (percussion), Malcolm Atkins (violin) and many more. Music starts at 7.30p.m., £6 cover charge. For more details please go to www.oxfordimprovisers.com