Brooklyn group proves immature on EP

Ambulance Ltd. aims to satisfy fans with new and unreleased material, as well as a Pink Floyd cover on New English EP. But strayed ideas hinder the EP.

By Walton Murphy

Published March 17, 2006

Ambulance Ltd. can't wait to get its music out to fans.

With its sophomore release due in late summer, the enterprising group eagerly delivers New English, an EP containing new and hard-to-find material, demo versions of previously recorded songs and one cover.

But with this haphazard compilation of tracks, sometimes patience is a virtue.

Ambulance Ltd., which includes Marcus Congleton (vocals, guitar), Benji Lysaght (guitar), Matt Dublin (bass), Andrew Haskell (keyboards) and Darren Beckett (drums) formed in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Signing to TVT Records, the band released its self-titled EP in 2003, followed by its debut album, LP, the following year.

The EP opens with its title track, a twangy song driven by acoustic guitar and backed by the accented shuffle of Beckett's drums.

Accompanied with the sunny vocals of Congleton, it brings to mind the sounds of early Brit pop.

The song, one of the two new tracks, sticks out as one of the stronger parts of the EP because of Ambulance Ltd.'s rather confused song writing method.

In past releases, the band's downfall came from trying to cram all its influences into its music.

Sometimes the group recalls a shoe gaze style similar to My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive and other times the sing-along melodies of The Beatles are prevalent.

The same is true for the New English EP.

With each song being rather decent, it's frustrating to hear a different band on almost every track.

"Arbuckle's Swan Song" exhibits such deviation from a common musical theme.

Written and sung by bassist Dublin, the song is reminiscent of the cool '70s pop of Steely Dan, an unlikely combination with the rest of Ambulance's music.

"Who's got love ya/Who's got love ya/Who's got love for your heart," Dublin croons in the smooth, yet out of place, tune.

With so many different styles conglomerating on New English, the previously released material seems conflicting and underdeveloped.

The thick distortion is absent on the 8-track acoustic demo version of "Heavy Lifting," which allows the listener a glimpse of the song's beautiful melodies.

But the droning original version, which appears on LP, is much more intriguing.

EPs allow bands to release B-sides and rarities that would otherwise never see the light of day.

New English will satisfy loyal Ambulance Ltd. fans until its upcoming album.

But the band is unsure how to approach its future, which could hold great potential if Ambulance Ltd. abandoned imitating its record collection and began concentrating on finding its own musical voice.