The Open - ‘La Lumiere EP’ (Loog) Released 13/03/06

One thing The Open are not is minimalists. In the current climate of sparse, chopping riffs and ever more incessant beats they counteract that with intricacy and melodic grandeur. The ‘La Lumiere EP’ sees them carry on from 2004’s debut ‘The Silent Hours’ and this year’s sophomore ‘Statues’ in typically epic fashion. The lead track ‘We Can Never Say Goodbye’ taken from the aforementioned second long player is at once what we’d come to expect from the Merseyside via West Midlands five piece - big, bitter sweet and unashamedly middle of the road. However, it is ‘I Call You’ which entices us to reconsider the much maligned five piece. Booked ended by the atmospheric melancholia of instrumental tracks ‘The Box’ and ‘Mirror’ it rips through two and a half minutes of searing staccato  riffs and screeches backed by ostentatious strings taking the EP from more of the same to a little of the unexpected. The Open may never be ground breaking but at least here they take us somewhere we never been with them before.