Not Today Self-released***

Like many independent bands who don't have the luxury of a record label to fund their releases, it's taken Jerome's Law a number of years to get their debut album out. This ensures that the quartet is a very tight outfit – something that's distinctly audible on Not Today. The album starts well, with its slices of jangly, radio- friendly indie rock infused with inventive melodies and bookish charm. Yet on too many songs the Dubliners revert to a similar structural pattern that ends with a big closing refrain. As a result, songs that were initially listenable become a bit predictable and homogeneous. Jerome's cause is by no means lost – they are just in need of some fine-tuning and a clearer, more streamlined vision. See jeromeslaw.bandcamp.com

Download tracks: Kicking in the Brain, What's to Come