An EP of two halves, Identity Crisis is a mix of acoustic jazz in the first half and rock in the second half, showing us two sides of the The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League‘s sound.

By Graeme Smith

The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League make music that combines the retro and the modern, giving us the soundtrack of a prohibition if it happened in 2024. They’ve released five albums since 2017, finally catching our attention with their new EP.

Identity Crisis is something of a unique proposition, billed as a “split EP with Awful Offal.” The thing is: Awful Offal are the band’s alter egos, meaning it’s a split that features the same musicians in both bands. You quickly start to realise why the EP has been titled the way is has been.

The EP opens with the atmospheric and bluesy So Many Mouths to Feed. Pensive plucked strings set the early tone before mournful vocals come in. The first verse broods, building to a cantering tempo that quickly takes a hold of your body, urging you to dance. A track with two sides, it captures the idea of the collection beautifully.

Frozen is a soulful number that brings with it plenty of swagger before we get two versions of Verisimilitude, acoustic and electric, that mark the end of the EP’s first half and the start of its second. Together they give us the perfect showcase of the band’s Jekyll and Hyde approach.

Glue Factory is a dark and cinematic moment that tees up Shake the Chains. The latter closes the EP in emphatic style with some big riffs and an unexpected hard rock deviation.

This new EP marks The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League out as gentlemen (and lady) of distinction. Both sides of their sound are simply timeless and ooze with charisma and joy.

Identity Crisis is out now and you can check it out below.