In what is an unusual name, we get an unusual anti rock star. It is rain in my face (no – there’s no capitals) has a distinct whimsical British rock feel to his music even though he is actually from America.
The aptly named “Bumrush Day EP” opens with the loose and free “Waiting on the Rain to Fall” and the guitar flows beautifully alongside its swinging drum beat. The vocals of IIRIMF have a real olden rock quality. They tell of hidden wisdom and cross over from a country twang to a rocking wail. The title track follows and flicks over to a more country vibe folk instruments, hand claps and a more acoustic flavour drips in. Again, as everything feels so chilled out and relaxed, you can’t help but whistle or hum along. “All the Many Times and Ways” is lighter and airy in production and vocal delivery. It’s catchy and cute. There’s a great electric guitar solo that mellowly flows out half way too.
“Nobody Cares” almost raises a real pulse with its clicking drum stick percussion and fitting kick drum but the actual melody and dual vocal delivery plays against that harshness with a sandy seaside sunset vibe and the two play off each other well. “Hurt (Broken Ring)” however is where the EP bursts into full indie rock with a pacey and ethereal rock track. I love how IIRIMF’s vocals are constantly running side by side in different effects and they create a blurred collage of sound over the rock track. It reminds me something an earlier Caribou or Manitoba would have made. It’s a definite highlight and my personal favourite of the EP. The six track EP closes with the most complex track of the lot as “Fall (Into Waves)” weaves tightly woven electric guitar that turns into a voice for the riffs over a fast paced pub style percussive jig. It showcases that when things are not just free and floaty, the songwriting is just as spot on and that’s great for future works.
Bumrush Day will not get you into a massive bumrush of adrenaline but it is a well-balanced and perfectly assembled ethereal mumble rock EP. What’s more, it has grown on me more and more with each listen and I’ll be grabbing more of his stuff from Bandcamp in the near future. I recommend you do the same!