Despite seeming unfinished, Cagework’s self-titled debut shows huge promise

So says Sam Bedford, vocalist and guitarist of South London trio Cagework, when describing their debut release. A short, 16-minute collection, the record exists as a marker outlining where the band are at this exact moment in time, detailing over its seven tracks both the invigorating highs and punctuating melodies that have demanded attention so far.

The undoubted pinnacle of this is “Modesty”. A track that owes plenty to the post-hardcore earworms of Title Fight, it’s devastating in its directness, disarming with its unbridled angst and sense of release. “Eileen” is another standout track highlighting the band’s obvious knack for a melody, this time also drawing on the slack indie sensibilities of Pavement and co.

There is a feeling at times that Cagework may have been better off ignoring the urge to document their sound so early on and perhaps built up to recording a more polished release, with a couple of the tracks sounding a little rushed and unfinished. “Listen Elsewhere” and “23”, while again containing some killer melodies, lack the brute force of “Modesty” and sound like they could have done with more space to grow.

What can’t be denied is that Cagework have shown more than enough to warrant the growing excitement that has surrounded the project. While elements of the record feel half-baked, the overriding impression is that this is clearly a band with an innate ear for a tune and a hell of a lot to give. The countdown to album number two starts here.