Deep Elm tends to find some gems when it comes to the European imports, and the debut full-length from the UK's Dartz!, This Is My Ship is no exception. Dartz! imagines the danceable post-punk of Q and Not U as fronted by that charming English accent and spiced up with a bit of caP'n Jazz's frenetic vigor.

This Is My Ship dabbles in lots of clean guitars and perfectly executed time changes to its favor, with vocals that delicately convey lots of excitement without coming off overbearing and in too much of an annoying yelp. In the hands of lots of other bands, the album might come off a bit trend-riding or plain obnoxious, but Dartz! walk a constant tightrope with confidence and aplomb.

In more laid back yet energetic numbers like "Once, Twice, Again!" and "Fantastic Apparatus," Dartz! prove themselves to be melodious masters, while other songs like "Harbour" and "The Lives of Authors" feature moments of restraint and order. But when the band bust loose, it's all good times: take "Prego Triangolos" and its cross-section of group shouts and handclaps. It serves up a diversity for This Is My Ship that keeps it fresh and active. It even wraps up with "Ulysses," a well-done hidden track of sparkling, instrumental post-rock.

This Is My Ship proves to be an overall musical success, drawing carefully from its influences to produce a warm, inviting and cheerful creation.

St. Petersburg

STREAM
Once, Twice, Again!
Documents

MP3 CLIPS
Cold Holidays
Fantastic Apparatus
Lives of Authors

VIDEO (MP4)
Once, Twice, Again!