My first introduction to the Aerial Salad sound was back in 2020 with the release of Dirt Mall, although I’d heard the name, until that release they had passed me by. Since then the band have gathered pace, and then the release of R.O.I. in 2024 should have seen them grab more attention, and it did, but not to the level they deserve. Now a year on and out comes for me their best work yet in the form of the EP Roi De L’Herbe, this is a step away from the more experimental last album, more of a back to the roots stuff, but without regressing, it pushes the DIY sound that I loved so much on Dirt Mall to another level.

How should you start a top of the tree DIY punk EP?, with a love song of course. ‘My Girl’, its ridiculously catchy, but full of that angst and noise you’d expect from the band, what it also does is show that this is an EP of real life, this is what Aerial Salad do best, take ordinary everyday things and spin them into this lyrical wonderment. That’s followed by another in the similar vein song, ‘Inject Your Blood’ seals the deal from the the first song, it’s an emotional maelstrom of a song, a slice of punk brilliance is all I can say on this one.

Moving on, quite literally this time, ‘King Of The Grass’ is a song that’s inspired by Mike the bassists gardening job with the council (yes that’s the reality of the music biz these days), the sound is still on the move in this one too, with a reminiscent feel of the Manchester dance scene lurking in its underbelly. ‘Wires’ drops in next, this takes us down the grungier side of the band, but that’s another reason to get your teeth into this EP, even if your’e new to this band, this is a release that will grab you and take you on the bands journey all in five songs. ‘L.A.’ finishes things off, and I’m a little torn as to whether this is a love for the fans songs, or just another love song, I prefer the former like, but either way its a masterpiece of just over 2 mins.

This is an EP that encapsulates everything that is Aerial Salad, it shows just how they have musically grown their craft, but it still keeps the beating heart that is their lyrical earthiness.  A Catherine Wheel that’s just set itself loose from the fence post!

Out today via Venn Records

Check out the bands links HERE and find them on Facebook

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