The Hermit Crabs: Time Relentless EP

“Charming Scottish pop” is a redundancy three times over, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the first new music in three-plus years from the Hermit Crabs (and don’t let the curmudgeonly name fool you either). Over an all-too-brief four tracks, the band, led by frontwoman Melanie Whittle, share some snapshots of relationships at different phases (thereby ensuring maximum relatability).

From the opening “On The Spectrum”, where Whittle’s narrator compares two romances, including one with a man who loves “kissing in the rain” — soundtracked by warm keys and John Ferguson’s jangly guitar – to “Stop This Now”, which sees a relationship’s end on the horizon (“we both know this ain’t got far to go”), Whittle’s friendly voice always depicts impending doom. Meanwhile, the title track takes its lyrics from a poem by (famed?) Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree about the passage of time. It’s all very charming, and over way too soon. According to the Scotsman I know best, Groundskeeper Willie, the Scots can’t get along with anyone, but you’ll have no trouble falling for the Hermit Crabs.