Signed to fledgling London-based independent label Tape Records, Theo Bard is a singer-songwriter also residing in the capital. Not to be confused with Birmingham’s chamber-folk combo Shady Bard, the five-track Listen Carefully EP marks Theo’s debut release, on the back of several gigs which have won him a steadily growing fan-base.

Lead track ‘Without You’ features delicate finger-picking reminiscent of folk-rock luminaries such as Bert Jansch and Nick Drake; a gentle and melodic acoustic sweep, marred only by some jarring lyrics. “I have no right to say, with whom you work, rest or play,” sings Bard, his stab at wordplay feeling clunky rather than endearing.

Nevertheless, Bard’s storytelling – matched with his soft, rhythmic vocal style – provides an interesting shot in the arm for the troubadour, taking music steeped in the sounds of traditional folk and giving it a deceptively modern twist. The bouncy title track finds him on more impressive lyrical form, distilling the minutiae of life to concoct a three-minute tale of suburbia-inspired folk, while the same staccato guitar style is employed on the sweetly melodic ‘All the Orders Gone’.

With a debut album already in the pipeline, you’re sure to hear more from Theo Bard and his environmentally aware vignettes in the future. It’s just to be hoped that his songwriting is allowed the time and space to develop and breathe, in order to more convincingly deliver on the promise he hints at fleetingly on this low-key outing. A solid if unremarkable effort.

Simon Harper