Who are Island Line? Well, Island Line are a vaguely country, rock and pop-tinged folk band, responsible for this self-titled debut album. It's a laid back affair for the most part, driven by acoustic guitars, often with electrics as an atmospheric accompaniment, and with predominantly female vocals from Hazel Sainsbury. This sounds like a pretty ordinary set-up, which it is. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. Many bands have come and gone with highly traditional, basic arrangements before, and through charisma, songwriting and solid performance, have still been great. The trouble Island Line have is that their songs are generally as ordinary and uninspiring as the project initially appears.The formula is just so unchanging - those acoustics, woozy countrified guitars, the pretty but unspectacular vocals. Each track has some sort of attempt to spice things up compositionally and/or instrumentally, but it too often feels like a fig leaf. One track may have handclaps, another strings, another slightly heavier drums than usual, but none of these ploys lends the album any momentum or wakes us from our fitful stupor. When Island Line is good it is quite good - opener 'In My Dreams' is a nice lilting slice of folk, single 'Another Place' pleases with one of the album's most overtly country-inspired moments, and there are no songs which offend or challenge or confuse. Open and confessional and accessible, Island Line also veers into a comfortable, pleasant tedium.I'm not suggesting that this band would be better off occasionally leaping into the odd Poison cover or something, I'm merely suggesting that staying true to ones convictions and genre is best if it doesn't also mean losing adventurousness and passion. This debut is like a lazy day at the side of a river - pretty, sunny and laid-back, but eventually it gets old. 50%Island Line on MySpace