Album Review: The Medics - 'This Boat We Call Love EP'

Chances are you have never heard of the Medics. But that’s ok, because the truth of the matter is they are a young indie band from Cairns in far north Queensland that are working hard but are still yet to receive a great deal of exposure. However, like the legions of their musical contemporaries out there, the Medics intend on changing their relatively unknown status with an ambitious second EP entitled “This Boat We Call Love”.

This is an EP punctuated with the sound of a band focused on trying to hone their individual style. They may only be a young bunch of lads but they write fairly mature sounding music that exudes a range of different influences from emo to folk to an almost punk sentiment at times. It’s fairly dreamy sounding music for the most part with softly crooned vocals and ambient, delayed acoustic guitars making up the backbone of most of the five tracks on this EP. Songs like “Joseph” and “Amongst the Corn Field” would have to be among the strongest of the selection and are no doubt aided in their execution by the production of Mark Myers (whose band the Middle East shares musical characteristics with the Medics).

However, the band straddles a fine line between interesting indie rock and a somewhat generic sound on this release.

They are enjoyable when they get a mix of emotional rock and subtle acoustic elements right, as is apparent during “Joseph”, where heavy, swirling guitars and delicate piano sit next to clean vocals and chimes before a gang shouted interlude steps in. Yet it’s other songs on the EP like “Sinking Ship” and “Wolves” that are more conventional in their sound and risk the Medics slipping into a pile of indistinguishable bands out there. It’s not that they’re necessarily bad songs, it’s just that there are a lot of bands out there making equally good and similar sounding music.

While it’s a promising beginning that shows the Medics are competent writers and musicians, it’s ultimately an EP that will make ripples rather than waves in today’s burgeoning musical ocean.

1. Her Song
2. Amongst The Corn Field
3. Joseph
4. Sinking Ship
5. Wolves