The Cinematics: Break

It could be a lot worse. Indie bands everywhere could be aping Molly Hatchet and Bad Co. instead of excellent ’80s outfits like the Cure, Big Country, and the Chameleons UK. We should be thankful. The darker New Wave bands, and their current champions, are the inspiration — the patently obvious inspiration — of the Cinematics, a Scottish foursome whose debut four-song EP Break is out on TVT. The title-track opener has the baritonic vocals of Ian Curtis and sounds like nobody more than Interpol. The second song could have been lifted off a Killers record, and the guitars of the third, “Sunday Sun”, a Beck cover, are straight off the Chameleons’ Strange Times. The final track, an acoustic ballad, is reminiscent of Coldplay. There isn’t much on here that isn’t blatantly reminiscent of something, but at least the influences of young songwriter Scott Rinning and his comrades are good ones. Otherwise we might be “Flirtin’ with Disaster”.