It feels as though singer-songwriters need a special quality to really stand out, but Cynics–who on this particular 7" is really just one young English dude, Giles Bidder, with a little bit of help–manages to capture it.

Bidder's got a confident, wavery quality about his voice and punk/hardcore background that gives these acoustic, folk-ish punk songs something special. Drawing comparisons to Frank Turner and Tom Gabel are probably lazy, as Bidder's surely heard the references before, but it makes sense. Stones I've Thrown has an affiable, likable quality, from the tambourine-assisted "14 Coleman St" and "You're Alright" (the latter with a twinge of organ that goes a long way to livening up the atmosphere) through to the excellent Paint It Black cover of "Memorial Day", where Bidder is liberal in reconstructing the song's dynamic for his own stripped-down purposes.

"You're Alright" is also complemented by Bidder showing off the various tones of his voice (from worn melodies to lowly murmurs). Hell, "Be Excellent to Each Other" slips in Fall Out Boy references and it just sounds earnest and celebratory.

Stones I've Thrown is a wildly encouraging start, and is also a good precursor to the new teaser EP.

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Stones I've Thrown 7" EP