Glitter Gulch EP

Glitter Gulch, a collection of B-sides and live tracks, is a U.K.-only limited release issued to thank fans for their support of the band. But for people who already own everything Nine Black Alps has put out, the EP will be a bit of a disappointment, especially since many of the songs came with prominent singles or were already included on the group's self-titled EP, and for those who are less familiar with their work, Glitter Gulch isn't exactly representative of what they can do. While both "Over the Ocean" and "Llana Song" have the heavier, grunge-inspired chords that brought them attention (and comparisons to Nirvana) in the first place, "String Me Along," "Never Coming Down," and "Attraction" are all acoustically based. They're not bad songs, but they don't really stand out from the rest of the introspective, angsty music out there. And it's a little confusing why Nine Black Alps chose to include a live version of "Coldhearted" as the final song, because it's not particularly good. Singer Sam Forrest has a hard time staying on key, and the EP doesn't contain any of the energy that the band typically exudes at live shows. It's better to pick up their debut album, Everything Is, or see them live, than to spend much on Glitter Gulch. ~ Marisa Brown|