Phonotonal
Trent

Trent
American God EP

Trent supply a sombre intro does nothing to prepare the listener for the anthemic proportions of the title song, which uses a very sparse sound to further enhance the radio-friendly chorus. Digging deeper beneath the attractive sounds, there are some interesting lyrics that suggest there is more to this track than the great sing-along chorus.

‘UR’ starts with the word ‘Summer’ and keeps the feeling of the season going throughout the track, using hazy guitar sounds and a daydream of a chorus. The guitar solo itself is a subtle heat-wave which warms into the final chorus, which is itself lifted by a backdrop of strings and then left hanging mid-sentence.

‘Very Next Day’ follows on from the all-out indie sound of ‘Summer’ with swimming guitar tones, rolling bass, and a disco style drum beat to create an immediate hit that, in a similar way to ‘American God’, follows up the instant appeal with some seriously good lyrics.

Finally, the acoustic version of ‘Smiling’ starts with the sound of the ocean, either because that’s what makes them smile or perhaps it is simply inspired by Trent’s new seaside home of Brighton.

The ‘American God’ EP is a collection of four songs that show that with a laid back anthem, a summery indie-pop song, a bit of rock-disco fusion, and an emotional acoustic effort, Trent are a band that can easily conjure up tunes with a real sense of diversity. It also shows that Trent have a serious streak of quality that manifests itself in the song-writing and the performance of the songs.

The high points include the sparkle that each instrument adds to every song, the clarity of Peter Evans’ voice and the fantastic CD sleeve that almost knocked over my coffee once I finally worked out how to open it!

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Written by Smith on

Stuart 'Saur' Smith was a prolific writer for The Mag throughout the magazine's lifetime. He combined a day job of temporary office jobs in London with a nightlife of trawling the capital's music venues looking for talent. As well as writing about music, he was a session musician who featured on a number of singles in the 90s. Today, Stuart is a Chief Writer for Phonotonal.
Stuart Smith

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