One listen to Raglans' debut album and you'll understand why their reputation for live performances precedes them. The Dublin four-piece write the sort of fun, anthemic indie-pop that fills venues and festival tents with a feelgood ambience, taking the Beatles blueprint for three-minute classics and twisting it to fit their own agenda. They've come up trumps on the euphoric singalong choruses of Natives and the brisk, cheerful bounce of High Road; other touchpoints include the cheeky-chappiness of The Kooks and early Arctic Monkeys. That said, although the catchy vocal hooks may be built for audience participation, their overuse on record ultimately translates to a slightly homogenous album. Still, the addition of a mandolin on Down provides a refreshing shake-up, and with upbeat songs such as Digging Holes bursting with colour and melody, there's no reason why Raglans shouldn't make it big. raglans.tumblr.com
Download: Digging Holes, Natives