Ah, how we love the downtempo indie (and sometimes downright miserablism) of The War Crimes. They have sent us their latest offering which came with just one line of introduction: “to celebrate the birth of my daughter, Juno, I’m feeling the pinch so may I interest you in The Cost“.

So firstly to them we say hearty congratulations from the Mackerels. And secondly, to you, enjoy another marvellous offering from this wilfully uncommercial band – as per usual, the insistent low-key refrain of the instrumentation is overlaid with lyrics as good, and as dark, as any we’ve heard this year…

“Show the kids covered with flies, spread disease and watch them die

The cost.

As Jesus Christ himself would say, I’ll see you all after the break

There’s a cost”

This could be the best thing we’ve heard from them all year, except for one thing – the other tracks we’ve heard have been uniformly outstanding too. The War Crimes are on a par with Howling Owls as our discovery of 2010. Download The Cost below, and if you don’t have them yet, treat yourself to their other tracks too.

Visit their MySpace here. Buy previous (brilliant) single Treatise from Shifty Disco here.

Download The War Crimes – The Cost mp3

Download The War Crimes – Levin As I mp3

Download The War Crimes – Stillness Beckons mp3

Download The War Crimes – Enamour Me And Roll mp3