The Q - Big Fubb

I remember once being told a story about a member of Derry band the Q standing on the city's Foyle Street at a bus stop. When approached by an old woman he was asked 'Are you in the Q?' to which he replied - 'Yes, I play guitar..' just as he realised that she meant queue. Funny story but I'm pretty sure it was innocent and no ego was truly involved. However, with this new EP titled Big Fubb the band should be confident - God Knows they worked hard for it.

I've always known the Q were good. I was never always a fan of their music but I still knew they had the spark. From their very first live performances in the Nerve Centre, Derry I was convinced that singer Paul Connolly was set to be a rock star. In the following years the rest of the band followed and they can now throw out riffs and hooks like no other local band - especially no other local band of their age - the average age of the band being around 20/21.

I haven't seen the band live in quite some time but from listening to this EP I can imagine it'll be a more dynamic set up these days. The Q were always a hectic live band to see... and I'd say they still are, however, it seems now they have matured into something that's very special.

Tracks Radio and Trap Door have sublime guitar work and great vocals - only one fault. Both songs go on for far too long. Radio clocks in at almost six minutes long but could have all been over and done with in two and a half minutes. Trap Door is just over four minutes long but feels much longer as it gets just a little repetitive towards the end. But, hell it's fucking worth it for that riff.

The Q's influences are fired all over their music. They're not afraid to show that they've been inspired. You can hear the Undertones, The Rolling Stones and early-U2 in this. They're not very original but that's not what this is about. This is about good music being played well. Magpie is an example of this... This is the best song on the EP and I can already hear it on daytime radio and also being played by a lot of the middle-class posers that Connolly refers to in the song. It's got a chorus George Harrisson would be proud of and this EP should make every local band wake up and watch how it should be done.

Listen to the EP HERE