Needledrop's debut EP grabbed my attention from the moment the first track, All Night Long, began. Amanda's beautifully mellow vocals compliment ex-Fun Lovin' Criminal Steve's tracks perfectly. All Night Long is one of them tracks, for me, which is perfect for sitting outside at about two in the morning and chilling. Track two, Murder, wakes you up a bit with a more twangy sound but equally laid back (in a good way) vocals. The scratching and catchy chorus also make this a great track. Track three, Strange, reverts more to the style of the first track with a more loungy feel. I don't really like many bands with female vocals but Amanda's wide range of different singing is outstanding throughout this record, as is shown in Strange. Up In Smoke (track four) is another wake-up tune which again illustrates both Steve and Amanda's incredible talent - it says in their website bio that they clicked immediately on meeting in Dublin - this is very evident. Track five, Feels Like, has got a really cool tune and wicked horn (sounds like a horn to me - whatever it is, it's sweet), and again Amanda's lyrics and singing is faultless. I think the sixth track, Just, is a phat ending. It's like a morning-after track. The kind of track with a catchy beat and chorus that you find yourself whistling in work. Overall the ep is brilliant and I can't wait for the next Needledrop installment!
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This is a fantastic album, the best I have heard for a long time, Amanda's vocals are very haunting. I highly recommend and look forward to seeing them play live and a full length album soon.
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Reminiscent to varying degrees, and at different stages, of Snowpony, later Madder Rose and Sade, Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out by Needledrop nevertheless manages to be a wholly unique and thoroughly enjoyable musical experience, albeit (at just 6 tracks) a lamentably short one.  It would make a very good instrumental album; the arrangements and musicianship are first rate.  However, the addition of Amanda's sexy, sultry, smouldering vocals turn it into an absolute classic, perfectly complementing and enhancing Steve's seemingly effortless - and effortlessly varied - instrumental accompaniment. The stand-out track for me is Strange, which beautifully highlights the full flavour and range of Amanda's voice, whilst simultaneously giving a perfect demonstration of the fact that power and impact in a song do not necessarily depend on cranking up the volume knob.  Hopefully there will be a follow-up to this, and if so I will certainly be among the first to buy it.
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