Ox - Blood (mini-album/ Co-Pop) By Steve Rudd Release Date: November 1st 2004.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside when super-talented acoustic-based duos in the shape of Ox materialise from towns such as Brighton, as Ox band members in multi-instrumentalists Jim Oxborrow and John Etkin-Bell have. Jim sings, with his sensitive voice being surrounded by beautifully lush twinges of well-played guitar melodies, easy-on-the-ear drum beats and bass grooves.

Ox are pretty well known down south, with word of their talents having spread around Brighton very fast indeed. This hype led to interest being taken by Radio 1, and this in turn resulted in Ox playing at one of the radio station's fabled Sound City events. This six-track mini-album is an exquisite introduction to their touching songcraft, as the crisp acoustic guitar tune that propels Meet Me Halfway is superbly scented with Turin Brakes sultry and sublime sound that could be straight out of Nashville. It's soul-stirring stuff, and Jim might even remind of Country-rock 'n' roller Ryan Adams as soon as he opens his mouth and words are formed by way of Blood Of The Soul, as he sings of Crying angels, in silver day dress, that have climbed your oak tree, they've made you endless. Above all, Ox are honest and sincere - their music thrillingly atmospheric and spellbinding. Wake Up is far rockier in nature, but the heart-breaking mid-paced style of Broken Silver is far more eloquent and emotion-addressing, as beautifully subtle musicianship winds a gorgeous melody around Jim's fantastic voice, before the finger-picked poetic seriousness of What Am I Supposed To Do? further proves what a talented duo these two guys are, as echoes of the music of The Verve, Merchandise and Trilemma gently sway into the fray. Every last song is anthemic in its own unique way. Thus, you could do worse than lap up this Blood with a vengeance. 4/5 www.oxworld.co.uk

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