The latest releases reviewed

TWO FINGERS OF FIREWATER Two Fingers of Firewater Chiller **

There are lots of good things about this English alt.country band (not the least their intriguing name), but methinks their debut album comes a mite too early in their evolution. Opening with a spirited, almost eastern European version of the traditional Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down, the five-piece meander through a collection of predictably maudlin tunes (Endless Highway, Lonely (and the Rest), I'm Not Sad). They are well played in the main, though the rhythm section needs to be steelier and the songs sharper, both melodically and lyrically. www.twofingersoffirewater. com - JOE BREEN

DESERT ACES Diamonds Shine Spades Dig Hearts Break Clubs Just Beat It No label ***

Languid old-time country is what this quintet does best, albeit with a slingshot of Irish traditional tunes tossed into the mix for good measure. Oddly, Desert Aces excel when exploring the melodic intricacies of the Pacific on Hawaiian Blue, married cannily with a delightfully mutant take on a west Limerick polka, Geordie Taylor's. The high lonesome sound of Bill Monroe is conjured on Footprints in the Snow, but Desert Aces are at their best when they focus on the instrumentals, as the variable quality of their vocals leads to an uneven tone to the songs, particularly on the opener, Socks First. Still, this debut is an opening salvo that hints of a damn fine time to be had when the band play live. www.desertaces. com - SIOBHÁN LONG

Download track:Lonesome Moonlight Waltz