It’s been such a long time since I’ve listened to Hot Water Music that I expected to find the band that I vaguely knew. It seems that after so many break ups, experiences with other projects by pretty much the whole band, what I got instead is a more seasoned sounding HWM. Honestly from the sound of this EP, I’m more a fan then I ever was. Like a fine bottle of wine this band has simply gotten better with time.

Sadly the EP features just the two songs: "The Fire, The Steel, The Tread / Adds Up To Nothing”. The first track on the album has a slight rockabilly vibe flowing down its core with Chuck Ragan providing a folksy growl with Chris Wollard smoothing out the edges with his more melodic tone. This is not the punk outfit of yesteryear but a more fluid machine that sounds epically different and more realized. Add Up To Nothing is somewhat of a return to form with a blaring guitar track, aggressively forward drums, but vocals still sound more rounded out making it almost a shame the track is so front heavy with its aggressive musical front but somehow that just makes the overall lyrical aspect of the song sound all that more desperately real and vocal work all that more realized.

The band has stated they will begin working on an LP in the winter of next year, which makes for a great title for an album as well (hint, hint) and I’m pretty excited about that possibility. Until then the band will remain on tour. In any case this is a fantastic little appetizer in the mean time that should hold long time fans and draw in new ones as well. As always final judgment is yours. Enjoy.