18 March 2013

Revellers EP - 'Night Time Lunatics' - Review

| Punktuation
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revellers

Revellers have made a big impact on the Canberra music scene in a short space of time, their 2012 S/T Demo was well received and a string of high profile supports throughout the last 12 months has set the stage for a big year in 2013. Their latest work ‘Night Time Lunatics’ is a fresh offering that showcases the increasing maturity and impact of the bands songwriting with a set of earnest and heartfelt songs that capture the spirit of youth and revelry in suburban Australia.

The album was recorded at Wollongongs Main Street studios and features input from punk icon and guitarist for The Descendants/ALL, Stephen Egerton, who mixed and mastered the release giving the album a clear and polished sound without feeling over produced. The drumming is tight and unpretentious, the bass tone crisp and sense of dynamics permeates the recording keeping things interesting throughout. Despite being a three piece the guitar tone is full enough and the lyrics engaging enough that the songs, which range from double time punk to angular indie riffing sound full and rounded without the need for a second guitar.

The artwork for the album was provided by Glenno Smith, a member of Sydney punk Chinese Burns Unit and the man behind the distinctive look of much of the Frenzal Rhomb art design over the years. The cover art depicts the inspiration behind the song 11 Fenner St, a share house with a host of stories that sets the tone of the album as it revolves around Sunday drinking sessions and four day benders.

The final track on the EP is a homage to the glory days of Fat Wreck Chords inspired 90’s punk. The sharing of experiences of skateboarding and drinking in the hey day of skate punk culture wins the heart of anyone who was there around the time bands like NoFX, Strung Out and Millencollin were making waves for the first time.

The song is good indicator of where the album is at stylistically, there’s a no-nonsense acknowledgement that this is a classic 90’s punk inspired album of the style that led to the bands previous incarnation Lamexcuse acquiring a 4/5 review in Rolling Stone for their 2008 release Life.Like.Wild. What keeps it fresh is the interplay between the lead vocals and the staunch Hot Water Music-esque back ups as well as the angular guitar leads and the sense of youth that surrounds the songs.

Overall a solid and enjoyable listen for anyone with a soft spot for 90’s punk or quality songwriting and Canberra style youthful adventurousness. With a solid Demo and now a stellar EP Revellers are quickly amassing a body of work that should win fans and help them continue their progress as one of the better punk bands in the nations capital and Australia at large.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/night-time-lunatics-ep/id610820436

https://www.facebook.com/revellersact

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