In Motion EP

In Motion, one-third of Suedehead's smartly packaged EP series from 2011, opens with “New Traditions": it's got the bounce of The Jam’s “Town Called Malice,” the punch of vintage Elvis Costello, and the swagger of early Joe Jackson. But it’s the band’s fresh take on traditional, post-skinhead, smoothie culture that innovatively blends classic Birmingham, England–style pub rock with the sun-dappled melodies of Southern California. Rather than looking to the past for inspiration, frontman Davey Warsop asks his muse: “When are we gonna make new traditions?” He touches on being a big fish in a small pond with the infectiously catchy “Small Town Hero,” a song so soulful it begs to be danced to over a talcum-powdered wooden floor at 4 a.m., à la Wigan Casino’s heyday. “Can’t Stop” infuses rich '60s guitar tones and swirling Hammond B3 organ into a song with a moving chorus that dares listeners to sit still without succumbing to its commanding groove. The EP’s closer, “Young & in Love,” works in punk-tinged angularity while maintaining a cool, flowing rhythm.