Room13 - 12 December 2006

THE BARFLY, CARDIFF, 11/12/2005

It's a Sunday night at the Cardiff Barfly and after two bands that didn't seem to quite hit the spot, the crowd has dwindled slightly. Envy & Other Sins take to a stage bearing the most decoration possibly ever seen in a Barfly venue and it's obvious that this is a band that could go far if they're given the chance. Theirs is a curious blend of several bands that are loved and respected... there is a twist of Muse added in, but with their stage attire there's an air of the Mooney Suzuki about them. It doesn't quite reach their music, which is a relief in some ways since this is a band that are more concerned with quick flourishes of keyboard and a hefty bassline to keep things moving in the right direction than stage antics and crowd interaction.

Lyrically there is something pleasantly grounded about the band that keeps you interested in their set and forces you to be curious about what their next number will entail. Envy & Other Sins are a pleasure to listen to since their music is pleasantly loud, yet soft enough to encourage a wide range of fans. It's a vibrant sound that just stands out amongst other bands of their size and one that suits the band to a tee. There's no hint that this is a band playing the wrong genre and this confident sound means that Envy & Other Sins are a band you could easily dance around to with a larger crowd to enhance the feeling.

With only one single out at the moment, you'd expect a band to hold little power within their music, but Envy & Other Sins are able to captivate without a full venue. If there is one band that truly deserves to be earmarked for great things, it's Envy & Other Sins.