THE EPs Talk Tight (2016) and French Press (2017) announced Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever as a band to watch. However, music is littered with bands unable to deliver on their initial promise.
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The Melbourne five-piece isn’t one of them. The long-awaited debut album Hope Downs has taken the spirit of their EPs and tightened the songwriting in a compelling mix of jangly indie, country and post-punk.
Talking Straight’s driving chorus carries the vibe of Midnight Oil, while the album’s other highlights Exclusive Grave and An Air Conditioned Man sound like Robert Forster-led Go-Betweens and The Triffids.
The real beauty of Hope Downs is its sparsity. Each member provides a unique flavour through the three duelling vocalists and competing guitar riffs, which melds together like an elaborate conversation.
RBCF have commanded the spotlight.
Josh Leeson
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
