EP Review: Jamie T Sticks 'N' Stones

Jamie Treays, better known as Jamie T- the snarling, swearing 'One man Arctic Monkey'- has been conspicious in his absence since the release of his debut album 'Panic Prevention'. Presumably he was busy working on new material such as this- a brilliant taster of what is to come in his follow up. The intoxicating title track 'Stick 'N' Stones' combines a Passion Pit sounding chorus with several lightning quick verses- where that distinctive Jamie T lexicon is fired from his snaggle toothed mouth and an almost M.C. like speed. Lyrically, their's little new- it's still all fights under street lights and Machiavellians in rebellion from the young troubadour- but the jauntily acoustic 'On The Green' contains the kind of content Johnny Cash might have sung-'Standing over her with a gun in my hand I made my baby bleed...it's not my fault she shot first me'. The riotous closer- 'The Dance Of The Young Proffessionals'- sounds part-Specials, part-Clash, part-Mike Skinner....but like so much of his stuff, is unmistakably Jamie T. And if the bard of Wimbledon can keep this standard of song writing up across the whole of his forthcoming album we are in for a very special release indeed. 8/10