8/10

The trio of Paul Banks, Matt Barrick and Josh Kaufman may not be household names on their own, but between them, they have been a part of some of the greatest US outfits in living memory. While some may already be familiar with Banks, who is best known as the lead singer of Interpol, his bandmates have managed to rack up an impressive list of collaborators over the years. Barrick first made a name for himself as the drummer for The Walkmen before becoming a touring member of Fleet Foxes, while Kaufman has worked with the likes of The National, Josh Ritter, The War On Drugs, and The Hold Steady over the years. So with so much royalty on their CVs, you would expect their debut album 'Muzz' to be something much more than just special.

And in fact, it is so much more than we have come to expect from these supergroups in the past. While the idea of bringing together a diverse array of musicians has usually landed as nothing more than a publicity stunt, Muzz have proved instantly that their formation means a lot more to them than just grabbing headlines. While there are so many artists and musicians that this trio could have taken cues from, 'Muzz' sets out to be something far more original and eclectic than any of their previous projects, creating a full-length that sees them all push each other out of their comfort zones and deliver a warm and inviting collection of truly heartfelt indie-rock delights.

Fans of either Interpol or The Walkmen will be pleasantly surprised when they switch onto 'Muzz' for the first time, as it has this familiar edge to it, but the band themselves are more concerned about forming something that looks to evolve their formative sound rather than emulate it. For a debut record, 'Muzz' is a strong and confident starting point from a group that will probably be keen to work together again very soon.