Record of the Week 28/10/2011

Nai Harvest – Ceiling Summer EP




A three track EP from a little known emo band that have been around for less than a year, on the surface possibly one of the least likely things to be crowned ‘Record of the Week’. Indeed, you might argue that even calling is a record is stretching the truth a little, but no matter, Sheffield’s Nai Harvest and this release have grabbed my attention like nothing else this week.

It is a concise master class in good old fashioned emo that is going to interest you whether you like Title Fight or Drive Like Jehu (or both). Short songs with rough edges vocals, half distorted guitars with mathsy instrumental sections and a plodding bass. Despite the EP as a whole being shorter than some songs (seven minutes and twenty six seconds if you were wondering) it has a real easy to listen too quality that will keep you coming back for more.

Opening track ‘Crossing Days Off My Calendar’ starts with a snaking little instrumental before launching into a power chord driven number about how there is ‘one more year till I leave this place again/ one more year till I leave my friends again’.



‘Red Letter Day, On Play’ is my favourite of the three tracks. Showcasing the guitar instrumental side of the band at its finest, jumping between widdly fret work and fast, frantic chords like it’s got split personality disorder. The on records version is only beaten by the live one (see below) with an even more extended intro.

Finishing up with the tongue twistingly titled ‘It’s Uplifting That You Want Me, Even Though You Don’t Need Me’ (someone’s been reading Smiths song titles) that has a nicely worked splitting of vocal duties between guitarist Ben and bass player Jake the whole EP is thoroughly satisfying. It may only be a preview of what is to come later, but if the band keep it up this wont be the only time I’m writing about them.
(Ceiling Summer is available for FREE from Nai Harvest’s bandcamp