Photo credit: Sasha Eisner
Australian post-punk indie quartet Radio Free Alice release their debut album: eleven tight songs of love, loss and the awkwardness of human nature. I’ve heard them compared to The Killers, but I think it would be more accurate to look to British bands of the eighties like The Smiths and Simple Minds, then add a dash of Interpol and some of the voyeuristic sleaze of Pulp.
“Eleven tight songs of love, loss and the awkwardness of human nature.”
— Marq Sutton, NottsRocks
Rhythmic drums and high basslines form the foundations, giving the guitars, synths and vocals the room they need to lift these songs into catchy pop grooves. Opener ‘Crying With You’ is a perfect introduction to the band, while ‘Undressed’ lyrically sets out some of the situations and stories that inhabit the record. The guitar, and particularly the bass, on ‘Rule 31’ is straight out of The Cure’s playbook, and ‘Kick in the Shins’ moves at a frenetic pace, all scattergun delivery and urgency.
At the halfway mark, the band team up with Rachel Brown (Water From Your Eyes) on the beautiful ‘Big Ideas’. It proves they can do a heartfelt ballad with the best of them, and reminds me of Snow Patrol at their most anthemic. ‘Bottleshops’ has the frenzy of The Vines, and it’s followed by ‘Four Leaf Clover’, which adds computer samples into the mix and brings Pet Shop Boys to mind. Album closer ‘Waiting’ sees them strip the sound back to great effect.
With support slots alongside The Killers and Geese already under their belt, this band look likely to blow up soon.
What’s In Between is out now. Radio Free Alice tour the UK from 14 to 22 November.