The Maple State - Joanna / Wood And Rain
[High Voltage]

Debut singles are flying out of record stores at an alarming rate these days and if truth be told, most either sound suspiciously alike or lack anything to give them long-lasting appeal. Joanna / Wood and Rain is the first single from The Maple State and thankfully, falls under the category of "these guys could be huge".

After a GoodBooks kitschy intro of cheap synths and a semi-Snow Patrol feel, Joanna could be accused of being short of original. While reference points are visable, The Maple State still offer a refeshing slant on things complete with nice chord changes, marching drum beats and the strongest lyrics this side of Morrissey; "this is a fight song, without the violence" can't help but bring a smile.

B-side Wood And Rain follows where the Summer Loans album by New York's Smiths-loving The Isles recently trod. An emotive line of "I haven't been blessed with a simple mind, so I could never be sure again", skips over more marching drums, jangly guitars, tamborines and an instant melody impossible to forget.

The Maple State excel at two things; strong lyrics and making infectious, catchy tracks that their peers seem to be striving to achieve. Hopefully the band haven't fluked this great single and continue to produce classic songs in the future.

Track Listing:

A. Joanna
B. Wood And Rain