Being a Manchester United supporter I nearly didn't review this record on principle, but I was asked nicely by the lovely people over at AREASONICA to check out the new album by MAN CITY SIRENS. When I first saw the name I envisioned a painfully tone deaf choir clad in horrendous blue football kits but luckily, I was wrong. They are in fact an Australian throwback indie-rock 4-piece, situated in Melbourne and are promoting their latest album; "Avalanche Of Debutantes". Will it catch us off-guard and engulf us in its raw power? Newly signed to the Italian label, let's check it out...
We open up with "A Girl, A Picture, A Wall" and it starts off quite up-beat, with it's semi-acoustic guitar driven build up; it's generally very positive in tone, the harmonious backing vocals give the track a softness, while lead vocalist Walter Musolino in places takes on (no pun intended) a slight, Morten Harket of A-HA vibe, and while it's not a striking introduction it's cheerful none the less. "Will I Ever...Never" by stark contrast is a deeply melancholic song about lost love...the piano, coupled with the tortured, wailing guitars sound deeply sad, it's repetitive but deeply emotive, capturing the uncertainty of oneself post-heartbreak.
"Do, Do, Do It" returns to a quicker tempo, it's a little grittier with more focus on a rock-inspired core sound, musically finding itself meandering somewhere between THE SMITHS and NEW ORDER, while "Strawberry Fields", despite a clear reference to the bands admiration for THE BEATLES in name, isn't a cover which can't help but raise the question; what if they did cover "Strawberry Fields Forever"? Regardless, this is itself a decent track, should you allow it to get going, while "Life Coming Down On You Today" is a song of hope, positivity in the face of adversity, even going full-on Martin Luther King toward the end of the track with an impassioned paraphrased speech. The track is also remixed at the end of the album, and while it is some pleasant, throwback 90's dance, it would act better as a B-side, instead of rounding off the record.
Areasonica have a knack for finding artists with a lot of potential and they've done it again here with MCS; a very well balanced band equally adept in both lamenting and loving life in their song writing. The light nostalgic feel of the early UK indie scene and the softer pop elements make this album ultimately very amiable, if only the vibrant moments were that much bigger, that'd be bonzer mate! [5]
We open up with "A Girl, A Picture, A Wall" and it starts off quite up-beat, with it's semi-acoustic guitar driven build up; it's generally very positive in tone, the harmonious backing vocals give the track a softness, while lead vocalist Walter Musolino in places takes on (no pun intended) a slight, Morten Harket of A-HA vibe, and while it's not a striking introduction it's cheerful none the less. "Will I Ever...Never" by stark contrast is a deeply melancholic song about lost love...the piano, coupled with the tortured, wailing guitars sound deeply sad, it's repetitive but deeply emotive, capturing the uncertainty of oneself post-heartbreak.
"Do, Do, Do It" returns to a quicker tempo, it's a little grittier with more focus on a rock-inspired core sound, musically finding itself meandering somewhere between THE SMITHS and NEW ORDER, while "Strawberry Fields", despite a clear reference to the bands admiration for THE BEATLES in name, isn't a cover which can't help but raise the question; what if they did cover "Strawberry Fields Forever"? Regardless, this is itself a decent track, should you allow it to get going, while "Life Coming Down On You Today" is a song of hope, positivity in the face of adversity, even going full-on Martin Luther King toward the end of the track with an impassioned paraphrased speech. The track is also remixed at the end of the album, and while it is some pleasant, throwback 90's dance, it would act better as a B-side, instead of rounding off the record.
Areasonica have a knack for finding artists with a lot of potential and they've done it again here with MCS; a very well balanced band equally adept in both lamenting and loving life in their song writing. The light nostalgic feel of the early UK indie scene and the softer pop elements make this album ultimately very amiable, if only the vibrant moments were that much bigger, that'd be bonzer mate! [5]
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