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AT MOST A KISS

Stockport hasn't produced many music industry stars. Rick Witter of Shed Seven fame is perhaps where the list starts and ends. Now, underneath the sign that welcomes you to Stockport, another sign has popped up: The Home of Blossoms.

On their fourth EP, entitled At Most A Kiss, the indie pop band are making some serious 80s Madonna-inspired noise, selling out gigs left right and centre. Their last EP, Charlemagne, produced by The Coral's James Skelly, has seemingly set a precedent for future Blossoms releases.

First on last year's four-track record was the easily accessible single and title track. In this case, it is 'At Most A Kiss', on which a heavy bassline and melodic synth riffs give singer Tom Ogden the platform to show off his recognisable voice.

The second track, 'Fourteen', is a synth-led tribute to old school hip hop, a near carbon copy of the last EP's 'Across The Moor', though the uplifting chorus saves it from generic album fodder. 'Wretched Fate' initially sounds like a cover of Cyndi Lauper's 'Time After Time', and that is no insult. This is an instant classic Blossoms track and will slot nicely into their live set. To finish the record, we get Ogden's customary piano ballad. It has a chirpy melody and sounds slightly off-beat for an indie pop record. This, and last year's 'Everlyn', won't make it onto the band's set list, and perhaps won't be missed either.

With the promise of a debut album, this EP could just be a stop-gap for the big release. 'At Most A Kiss' and 'Wretched Fate' are standout singles on any record though, and leave plenty to the imagination of what Blossoms have up their sleeves.