7 inches are the homemade apéritifs of music. If they’re good, then they will entice the taste buds and the willing victim will consequently expect the same pleasurable qualities in the bigger, more substantial dish. On the other hand, a poor showing on the apéritifs will likely lead to a lack of interest for what might come next. 7 inches, therefore, conceivably have the likelihood of new fans poised on the tightest balance. THANKFULLY, Restorations have delivered a savoury and nuanced apéritif with ‘A/B.

Delivered at a comfortable mid-tempo, ‘A’ is a tale of two halves. The opening two minutes are a somewhat leaner little brother to the second pair of minutes with Jon Loudon’s warm raspy vocals proving the focal point until a clearly delimited break turns the song into its louder, meatier homologue. The two portions do effectively contain the same elements, but the second half builds on the foundations of its counterpart by adding backing vocals, crashing cymbals and, in the final few measures, the sad distant repetition of the track’s stand-out line. In some places, the song is reminiscent of Sharks and The Gaslight Anthem.

FOLK PUNK LICKS, silently cries ‘B’s opening few lines. Hot Water Music’s hearty soul is not far off the mark on this occasion. Loudon upgrades to a throaty shout amidst the metronomic snare yet stops for some harmonious melodies with his bandmates. The track alternatively showcases the band’s ease with seamless transitions from harsh to soft, full melody to guttural punk. The song then drowns itself out into an intense guitar outro complete with dramatic cymbals aplenty.

‘A’ and ‘B’ are both great songs, they are also great examples variety within genre and therefore, we should all expect a delightful dish after this appetizing starter.

4/5

‘A/B’ 7" by Restorations is released on July 10th through Tiny Engines.

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Words by James Berclaz-Lewis