This EP emerged yesterday simultaenously on both my Spotify new music recommendations and Submithub requests, thus proving that the fickle finger of fate can occasionally  relax from generally being such a cruel mistress and sometimes bestow upon me sporadic musical blessings.

Annual Leaf are yet another Melbourne band that embrace the concept of potted jangle-pop in a largely dissident manner. The primary vibe is all things Kiwi/Dunedin (unsurprisingly considering two of the band members are from those parts) juxtaposed with a slightly less fractious Triple J lethargy

As such the EP’s stand out, Car Crusher (see below), adds the obvious Aussie dulcet, subdued and slightly deadpan vocals to the sort of crystalline clear, isolated and dominant jangled riffs that The Verlaines toyed with and The Chills literally belched in every track. It is absolutely brilliant track and one worthy of some sort of 7″ vinyl worship.

Other superlative tracks are the opening Pale Blue Dot and the closing Walking on Hot Coals (see below) which make the most of the vocal perfections in the coolest of ways that only antipodean jangle can. Think the 1st phase and very early The Go-Betweens, The Goon Sax and The Bats and add it to the slightest of fuzzed aesthetics and you are in the general ‘extremely good’ ball park.

 

Artist Links:  Facebook