The Hi Five: Australia

1: Workhorse

Workhorse is an offshoot of Australia’s underground darlings The Wireheads, and is led by Wirehead and Fair Maiden member Harriet Fraser Barbour. Her songs are grounded in a more “americana” sound than the frenetic Wireheads. Debut cassette “No Sun” basks in a lonely melancholy as rugged as the Australian landscape. Harriet’s songs sound timeless, covered in a dusty ennuie, sad but hopeful, never uneasy. It would be to everybody’s benefit if she can lay down another Workhorse album between her main band’s releases.

Find Workhorse on Bandcamp here.

2: Skydeck

Skydeck is the latest project from Melbourne’s Dominic Kearton and Mitchum Clemens. Named after an attraction in their hometown, where like in many other cities, travellers can make their way to the top of a commercial tower and peer beneath their feet at the bustling metropolis below. The duo have signed to Dinosaur city and Burger Records respectively. First singles Live Bait and Tourniquet Too are lo-fi synth with neon new wave under tones, befitting the two tone album art, this is bedpost -punk the result is perfect for late night seclusion.

Find Skydeck on Bandcamp here.

3: The Stroppies

When the opening keys on The Stroppies new single Cellophane Car cracks the silence in the room, it’s hard not to get pulled in. It’s safe to say the Flying Nun sound is very much alive and well in Melbourne 2019. Their songs bounce with a youthful sweetness balancing on the jangle/twee fence, never fully dipping into either side completely. I anticipate the winter thawing around me by the time the Stroppies album Whooosh fills my headphones.

Find The Stroppies Bandcamp here.

4: Traffik Island

If you like Frowning Clouds, Hierophants or Orb then there’s reason to get excited aboutt Zak Olsen’s new band Traffik Island. The first single, 17 a pops like a ray of sun through these winter days. The track is brimming with psych-lite flourishes, chiming and jangly guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies. The song seems plucked from somewhere between The Byrds and the Australian/New Zealand 1980’s underground 17 possesses an urgency within it’s two minutes and fifty three seconds that begs to be played repeatedly. Look for it on Flightless Records.

Find Traffik Island on Bandcamp here.

5: The Gooch Palms

New Castle’s The Gooch Palms had quite a run with their sophmore album Introverted Extroverts, having continually toured the album back and forth between home, Europe and the States. Introverted Extroverts mishmash of sounds ranged from punk, garage, pop, surf and rockabilly, elevating the band beyond a simple guitar and drum duo. The songs displayed a knack for humour whilst never becoming jokey or satirical, every component of these songs were measured out perfectly. One of the secret weapons to any Gooch Palms track is it’s simplicity, the duo find more than enough space to carve out truly unique gems without ever over blowing it. The Gooch Palms are a band that incorporate many influences yet their music comes out sounding wholly unique. So here we are in 2019, the band have signed to Ratbag Records and Leroy and Kat have treated us to four new Gooch Palms songs to tide us over until a new album… and they are bangers!

Residing in the same sing-a-long anthem feel as “Don’t Look Me Up” from the last album, Busy Bleeding has Kat on lead vocals and is a contender for best fist pumping feminist anthem wrapped around a menstrual cycle. Marfa Lights chugs forward with chiming guitar strums as the Gooch Palms navigate their way to catch a glimpse of the mysterious lights in Marfa, Texas. The third new entry in the band’s catalogue is the absolutely cracking summer anthem “Summertime”. Nice to hear Kat taking lead vocals again for this one, her delivery perfectly captures a beat/ beach vibe that isn’t that far removed from French 60’s Ye-Ye, even more so when Kat switches over to sing the final verse in french. Final new single “Are We Wasted” doesn’t let up the pace and energy on display with these new recordings. The song permeates a summery glow, bass lines hanging around their ankles 90’s guitar fuzz kicks in for the chorus. I love the direction that these new songs are taking and thrilled that Leroy and Kat are not just repeating the sounds found on Introverted Extroverts, but opening new doors to new sounds for the band. At face value the Gooch Palms are one of the only bands that truly look like they are having a good time and the allure is infectious.

Ratbag Records can be found here.