EP Review - To Your Arms I'd Run

To Your Arms I'd Run

by King's Justice (out now)

Game of Thrones fans will be familiar with the moniker of this band. In the fantasy books, ‘King’s Justice’ refers to the official title of the royal executioner. King’s Justice in this case refers to the four piece soft rock indie outfit that hail from Freemantle, Perth. No deaths here, but this band apparently took their title from the books/TV show. With their first EP To Your Arms I'd Run, members Jack Young (guitar/ vocals),Matt Ryder (drums/vocals),Tim Arnott (keys/vocals) and Declan Sinnott (bass) have created an energetic and fun debut little journey that had me bopping along with each song.

The EP opens with the title track. It’s soft and sweet harmonies lulled me in with their smoothness and catchy melodies. I love when the drums and infectious guitar hook kicks in. I was reminded of earlier music by The Cure with the simple yet dreamy and lush pop sensibilities. A nice and easy way to start an enjoyable little EP. The song finishes very abruptly – so much so I thought my speakers had come unplugged. Perhaps this was a way to shake up the listener to be ready for the gear shift that the second song provides. Either way, I was left wanting a little more.

This next track ‘Keep Swimmimg’ is an upbeat almost beachy summery sound with a bright and tight chorus and lyrics to sing along too: “So darling please come home because I just can’t wait much longer, and my love it burns stronger, this is tearing me apart...this is tearing me apart, this is tearing…” There is a little call and response section that I am sure would be fun to hear live if the band worked this with an audience. I imagined this song being played at a beach party with lots of dancing on the dunes.

Track three opens with a twangy surfy sounding guitar that reminded me of Brisbane bands Cub Sport and Hungry Kids of Hungry pop/rock tunes. Fun, youthful energy reign supreme here. The groovy vocal hook “ooh la la, ooh la la it’s you…” made this my favourite track of the EP – that and the hand claps at the start and the end of the song. Because I love participation in music!

The last song ‘Summer Prospects’ is mellower in mood with some softer guitar picking and sentimental romantic lyrics. There is a second shift in the song that gives it a bit more grunt without taking the romance away. “Take me back to the summer, far from all my fears, take me back to the summer, to those golden years” King’s Justice sing out - again, hitting the summer notes. There is a lovely little outro this EP which loops vocals over dreamy guitar. I would have liked this to go on even longer to let the band really show what they can create as a unit.

This EP is a nice introduction to King’s Justice. I look forward to seeing how their sound grows and where their journey will take them in the future.

Lou Endicott gives 'To Your Arms I'd Run' three Jack White heads out of five...