The second EP from English Summer sums up why I like this band so much. Not only do the words describing the personal struggles of Caleb Carr run pretty close to some of my own experiences but musically the blend of 1980s indie and jangle pop is also one of my favourites too. Think Creation Records, post-punk inspired indiepop and “C86” alongside a side order of early Sarah Records. 

Before you think oh no, another dose of miserabilism, Carr describes the songs on the EP as his most uplifting and heartfelt on record. This is especially so on Kris which was released earlier this month as You.

Songs such as the rich title track (“When you’re still warm in my heart”) and the poignant, but looking forward An English Summer’s Day (“when I see clouds; I smile.”) give hope for optimism amongst the jangling guitars and the vocals, which at times display emotional neutrality despite the words. The instrumentals Last September and Celebration bring a sense of serenity to the EP, encapsulating it as a whole.

The quote on the Bandcamp page states “…someone should take care of you too”. With this EP can I just say that you have.

Get the Holding Against Our Own EP from here.