Tinkering with the time-worn tradition of the blues, Kill It Kid operate in one rare corner of the musical world where their fresh-faced looks may actually count against them. If you want to play the blues, get yourself the woman, the divorce and the child support payments. And then the worry lines and cig-scarred voice to prove it, purists would advise.

Although they’re far from reading the rulebook to the letter, Kill It Kid do show the wisdom beyond their years to be of authenticating familiar and folksy fiddles, barroom piano and harmonica hums with some distinctly personal touches. An album highlight, ‘Bye Bye Bird’ is a barber shop murder ballad which has been transported from the Delta to meet a watery grave more chillingly close to home in the Humber. Placed next to Gothic gospel crescendos, booming percussion and Stephanie Ward and Chris Turpin’s rich vocal interplay, it feeds into a record of such startling depth as not to betray its debut status.

Alison B