Album Review: Kisschasy - 'Hymns For The Nonbeliever'
Peninsula boys come through with the goods on album number two…
of penning a catchy tune… and I think it’s safe to say that the
35,000 people who bought their last record would agree! But for some
reason, I’d never really “got” it. Was there something I was missing?
Well, I think I finally get it, because “Hymns For The Nonbeliever”
is a really solid record.
The most noticeable difference
between the Kisschasy of 2007 and the “do dos whoa ohs” version
is the grittier guitar tones and rougher production style. That’s
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not to say that the album sounds bad, far from it! I don’t know if
“tough” is a word you’d use to describe Kisschasy’s guitars,
but they have definitely thickened up their overall sound.
“The Perfect Way To Meet”
is a great way to start a record. Upbeat and memorable from the get
go, I can guarantee that you’ll have a hard time getting the chorus
hook out of your head.
Lead single “Opinions Won’t
Keep You Warm At Night” is a track that I’m sure you’re already
familiar with. Apart from the fact that the accompanying film clip is
hilarious (for those of you that don’t own a TV it’s George Bush
taking Tony Blair on a date with John Howard in tow) the song is one
of the catchiest tunes I’ve heard this year.
While you’re not going to hear
any drum or bass solos on a Kisschasy record, the rhythm section does
a great job throughout “Hymns…”. The bass lines fill out the songs
perfectly and the drums provide a solid backbone for each and every
track. Karl’s drum fills are indicative of the fact that he’s an
extremely talented time keeper – so it’s refreshing to hear a musician
who knows when it’s appropriate to show off and when you need to simplify
things for the good of the song.
I can honestly say there isn’t
a bad track on the record but for my money, it’s the more driving
(and less pop) songs that I enjoyed the most. “Ugly Birds In A
Beautiful Cage” made me think of the Foo Fighters at their most accessible
and the slow groove of “To Death” was a pleasant surprise once you
work further through the track listing.
This review wouldn’t be complete
without making mention of “Spray On Pants”. I’m not going to spoil
the surprise for those of you who are yet to hear it, but let’s just
say if you go to “Click Click” (Melbourne club) and you enjoy the
latest and greatest indie anthems, then you might be a little offended
by the lyrics.
If Australian bands keep churning
out albums this good, our friends in the US have some serious competition
on their hands!
1. Perfect Way To Meet
2. Opinions Won't Keep You Warm At Night
3. Real And Untouched
4. Strings And Drums
5. Ugly Birds In A Beautiful Cage
6. Tiny Plastic Cup
7. Factory
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