Joe Kaplow’s debut EP is a propulsive force. It’s not loud. It’s not raucous. It’s not rowdy. But Kaplow’s raspy bluesman vocals and delicate lyrics produce an effect that lies somewhere between punk and folk.
Though Kaplow’s been making music for years, this is the first time he’s recorded many of these songs. That forceful feelings comes from the potential energy released as these songs get to be transmitted to more than a bar room of people for he first time. The starter track, “Bookshop Blues,” establishes Kaplow’s blues cred, but it’s the quieter songs like “How Old is My Soul?” and “Give My Eyes” that work best, balancing Kaplow’s reformed-punk delivery and his tenderness on a precarious edge. With this EP Kaplow’s only given us a hint of the wealth of music he’s sitting on, but here’s hoping we get to hear more.