Run Down Washington Street - Run Down Washington Street

Run Down Washington Street

Run Down Washington Street
self-released; 2014

3.2 out of 5

By Kevin Sterne

Run Down Washington Street might be new on the block with their self-titled debut EP Run Down Washington Street—recorded just months after the Ireland-based four-piece formed—but they have the sound of established rockers.

Upon first listen, listeners will instantly notice the incredibly tight, practiced musicianship that each song displays. This is evidenced specifically by the guitar playing of chief songwriter and founding member Ciarán McCarthy. But don’t discredit the intricate drumming of timekeeper Brendan Corrigan, whose fills lay the foundation for an EP that weaves and winds over various genres. 

Touching on blues-tinged rock, alternative and even metal, Run Down Washington Street seem comfortable dipping their irons in rock music’s many fires. Listeners will hear familiar hints of the Foo Fighters, Billy Talent, and Avenged Sevenfold—especially on the last track, “The Verge.”

And it is with this sixth and final song that the band really starts to hint at their full potential. Here—on what is definitively their heaviest track—all the band’s best elements come to a near head. It is as if the band’s previous five songs were a mere warm up for the final track. McCarthy’s chugging, Synyster Gates-inspired lead guitar is on full display, and—for one of the few times on the EP—complemented quite well by the vocals. The rhythm section is tight and well balanced in an effort that lets the two most distinctive elements of the band shine.

Jerry O’Rourke’s vocals seem best suited here, especially as he belts over the chorus, but the group would be smart in utilizing the vocal interplay between O’Rourke and bassist Stuart Dineen as they do to perfection on “Said and Done.” 
To be sure Run Down Washington Street has already done a lot in less than a year as a full band, and if the last track is a clear indication of what this four-piece will become, then they are on the verge of accomplishing something superb. 

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