Most years normally produce a batch a bunch of likeable and idiosyncratic British pop bands. Santa Dog aren't a novelty act timed to coincide with the Christmas period but rather a fourpiece whose bright hooks and choruses could melt all but the coldest of hearts. The lead-off and title song to their third EP is typically exuberant fare, thanks largely to a head-spinning chorus whose tagline of "your skin is so soft.. it's too much" manages to sound both innocent and sensual. 'Rosa' employs a superb key change to usher in the chorus. On this song especially, the key elements are the vocals from Rowena Dugdale; lemon fresh and crystal clear and ideally suited for the sweet guitar melodies. To round up the rest of this EP, 'Pop Coloured' exhibits Santa Dog's yearning romantic qualities, not to mention some slightly disquieting shrieking from Dugdale whilst '1000 Cranes' slows the pace down to almost balladry with a slice of sun-kissed melancholia. A refreshing and addictive EP that cries out for a first album (due in Spring 2007) to follow up the good work.