This five-track EP sounds like it was recorded in 1973 on the cheap. So I imagine it actually cost an absolute fortune to give the band a faux-raw edge which coats the production of the five songs on this EP. Like The Strokes if they were influenced by 70s rock bands rather than those from the 80s, Armed Forces show glimpses of talent but ultimately failed to impress me because they borrow way too much from bands like T-Rex and Sweet* than is healthy. There are moments where the band mix their influences well and sound great. ‘The Runaways’, for instance, has a great future as a single ahead for itself. But there are too many other inconsistent moments that really do fail to hit the spot. And as someone who wasn’t born in the 70s (although I only missed out by 11 days) if I want to listen to this type of music I’ll go for something slightly more authentic.
* If you’ve never heard of these bands before, ask your dad.