The Young Republic

"...better than just about every band of any stripe at the moment, is The Young Republic. Their second UK single, Girl From The Northern States, outstrips the competition with crisp, jangling guitars and a rolling, soulful piano that announces quite clearly that ñ at last! ñ someone really is writing them like they used to.

Classic songs, all three of them on the ep, that like much of the very best music and this is the very best music ñ has one eye on the past while moving forward."
- Fire Escape Talking

"Their music, which might be what the Shins would sound like if Mozart was writing their tunes"
- Boston Herald, USA

"Located somewhere between the intelligent blissed-out US indie sound of Galaxie 500 and the scruffy, tuneful UK indie of Belle & Sebastian, Hefner or Bearsuit, "Girl From The Northern State" is another deliciously melodic offering from End Of The Road Records' first signing The Young Republic. Refinedly messy school-hall piano tangle with sweet, swooping strings and wistful lyrics, resulting in a pretty, slight chanson-like ditty with a summery feel - this song feels destined to find pride of place in a hundred bestickered indie-kid record boxes across this land.

The b-side, "Seeing people you know", is a parallel universe prom scene song from a John Waters high school movie. The hammond organ, horns and almost-in-tune backing "oooooohs" come on like the ghost of a lost Buddy Holly song. It's charmingly tatty - careworn, perhaps - the sound of a band leafing through well-thumbed melodies in their own distinctive style. The Young Republic are drowning in romance and warm nostalgia for halcyon times I'm not sure I can remember."
- DROWNED IN SOUND single review 8/10

Port O'Brien

"Think of the way a really good late-party singalong sounds in your drunken, echoing head: a little sleepy, loosey-goosey with the timing, but ecstatic, brilliant, meaningful, epic. Even sober and by the cruel light of day, that's the sound of Port O'Brien."
- SF Weekly

"Port O'Brien's guitar-driven pop is purely fun and friendly, while at the same time bearing an almost chaotic urgency in its harmonic, screaming choruses."
- Performer Magzine

"Their youthful vigor compliments their folkish sound in a way that feels exciting and new."
- Dusted Magazine

"Port O'Brien do a dusty and smacking music that reminds me of a back-porch Shins, safe on the good side of good."
- Wired Magazine Online

"Port O'Brien's ëI Woke Up Today' is stunning. It comes together perfectly like the climactic Hallelujah chorus of a choir made up Akron/Family, O'Death and The Arcade Fire."
- Yer Bird Records

"Enchanting slow moving acoustic-based pop... folk group with an undeniable charm. Catchy and intelligent music."
- Polaroids of Androids

"Filled with folk pop nuggets.. and a sense of immediacy that's simply irresistible."
- New Times SLO