The Pooches - Heart Attack (Cover Artwork)
Staff Review

The Pooches

Heart Attack (2016)

Lame-O Records


The Pooches kicked off as a one-man project from Jimmy Hindle in Scotland, 2013. His lo-fi pop charm drew underground acclaim in the UK and US which allowed him to expand his vision to a four-piece.  Calvin Halliday on drums, Andy Kelly on guitar and Gavin Cormack on bass, all joined up and eventually, they opened for Surfer Blood, Juan Wauters, Colleen Green, Craft Spells and last but not least, Hop Along. Heart Attack, the group's debut EP, is a short yet pretty concise snapshot of what they can offer. 

The tracks are warm, breezy and melodic. There's a picky charm to the self-titled opener as well as "Crabhammer" -- which are indie to the bone. The lyrics aren't too deep yet aren't too cheesy but what really sets things afire is "Pierre". It has a Caribbean flavour to its licks and comes off very much like Bedouin Soundclash. Really great stuff. In just four tracks, you see The Pooches' versatility and there's a strong sense of endearment to their brand. In summarizing things, it feels like The Beach Boys meets The Sidekicks. Catchy and infectious without forcing it. Dig in.