EP Review: Family Dinner – You’re So Cool

Family Dinner have just released their latest EP, the ambitiously titled “You’re So Cool“, that follows on from their 2019 double A side release “August 14th // Stagnant“. The “You’re So Cool“ EP was recorded over five days with Brett Romnes (The Movielife, I Am The Avalanche) at Barbershop Studios, whilst the press release indicates that the “You’re So Cool” EP is one that came together naturally for the band, and the relaxed vibe of the EP kind of bears that out, but this is not your laid back indie soundtrack that washes over you without leaving any significant trace, “You’re So Cool“ is an EP that grabs you from the outset.

The effortless charms of the title track hit you straight away with a boundless yet restrained energy and almost ethereal vocals, conversely it’s a song that takes it’s lyrical cues from the slick 90’s cool of movies like True Romance and Natural Born Killers. Trying to follow the title track is difficult but ‘Eyes‘, a love song for their wonderfully named cats, Iommi and Leatherface, does just that, whilst this track carries a completely different feel, the same haunting vocals and laid back feel are present, but the delivery has shifted towards understated rather than in your face. ‘Mahogany‘ takes the “You’re So Cool“ EP off at yet another tangent with a blast of ethereal indie punk until finally you get the EP’s most personal track, ‘Song 4 (Bloom)‘ that hits a heavier grungier vibe that slowly builds up the decibels before bursting into life on the chorus.

From that perfect opening track the EP heads off into different territory, with each subsequent track having it’s own character, influences and style, but with each one firmly stamped with Family Dinner‘s own laconic style. Across the “You’re So Cool“ EP you can hear echoes of everyone from Magnapop and Hole through The Cranberries and Lush to The Duke Spirit and the Pixies. Family Dinner have delivered an enchanting, genre defying and near prefect four track EP that manages to take you back through the last few decades whilst simultaneously being curiously timeless

 The “You’re So Cool” EP can be streamed here and is available via Bandcamp here