Little Green Cars
Ephemera
(Glassnote Records)

The most interesting aspect of Ephemera, the second full-length release by Irish band Little Green Cars, is its search for identity. Some of the tracks on the album are folk-tinged while others have more of a new wave/post-punk guitar vibe. Dual vocalists Stevie Appleby and Faye O’Rourke provide distinctive character to their own tracks, but they harmonize together equally as well. This makes Ephemera difficult to sum up as an album, but it also means that the band benefits from having such range. One of the lead singles, “Easier Day,” is an instant standout among the tracklist. O’Rourke declares that “you’ve been my legs for my whole damn life,” and even as she seems to revel in the fact that her mother weeps for her circumstances, she sounds defiant. “The Garden of Death” is a delicate, tender portrait of the fleeting nature of life. The strength in O’Rourke’s voice is offset by acoustic guitar and piano on “I Don’t Even Know Who.” She offers to surrender her position in a band for a man, but she soon cannot even recognize the person she loved. A bit of synth and strong beat on “Good Women Do” lifts the track into indie dancefloor territory, which contrasts well with the delicate, hopeful ending track, “The Factory.” If there’s anything to criticize about Ephemera, it is that the lack of an overall identity may make some skip around. I personally prefer O’Rourke’s voice to Appleby’s and found myself more attracted to songs that featured her on lead vocals. Still, this is an assertive sophomore record for a young band still very much on the rise.