iLiKETRAiNS have just released their debut album 'Progress Reform'. This is a mini-album featuring six previously released tracks ('No Military Parade' being renamed as 'Fram' on its accompanying single) and one previously unreleased track, 'Citizen', which is a sort of follow up to another of their singles, "A Rook House for Bobby'. Musically they deal in sweeping soundscapes, combined with the deep and thoughtful vocals of singer David Martin. Lyrically the band often concentrate on stories on the sidelines of history that they feel deserve to be heard, or tell them from a different perspective. For me they are at their best with 'Stainless Steel', a song lyrically reminiscent of Nick Cave’s murder ballad type songs, but musically very different with its slow start which builds up to a manic crescendo of murderous rage played out on guitar and cornet. Whilst it’s a bit of a shame that there’s little new on this mini-album, I can see the point of releasing it, in that most of the singles have now sold out, and this gives new fans the opportunity to get hold of them and gets them heard by the mainstream music media who have been writing some very positive reviews. In the meantime I’ll look forward to the release of a full album with new material on – as soon as they have time off from touring to write and record it!