Album Review: All The Colours - 'All The Colours'

Having seen this Melbourne quartet's live show a couple of times before receiving their debut album, this writer was already more than impressed with their unique ability to blend several different styles of rock music effortlessly into one. Listing their genre as International Progressive-Vintage Pop is weirdly accurate, as these stylish young lads give a new coat of paint to the vintage rock sound. The fact that in their live show they can easily cover both The Doors and Rage Against The Machine should give you some idea as to how diverse this band can get.

The album kicks off with some classy, driving blues rock with a dirty bass line for its spine and some nice harmonies and catchy whoah-oh's in 'Shame', a sound as dapper as the suits the band members can constantly be found in. 'Fragile' is a soft waltz backed by some classic sounding string lines, which slows the pace of the record down and really gives an example to the variety this group will offer.

While the band perform this with ease, it's the sexy blues rock on the record that stand out the most, especially with 'The Nightmare's Over', accompanied by a horn section, this slow moving groove is an absolute highlight. The reason for the band listening the word "pop" in their description is the heavy pop feel that runs rampant throughout the record, it takes over now and then, especially in 'Days Become Nights', a dreamy little song with a body moving beat, this groove continues into the frantic pace of 'Nothing To Run From'.

'Violence and Smiles' is a relaxing little instrumental with a gentle key line and slide guitars the leads into another cruisy waltz track, 'Where Did You Go?', which is oddly familiar, The Zombie's 'She's Not There' maybe?

The record ends on the spaghetti western sounding guitar lines of ...And The Earth Stood Still, a blues number that needs a cigar and a scotch to enjoy it properly, kinda like this whole record actually.

All The Colours are all class. They are doing something that no one else is doing at the moment and they are doing it well. Enjoy this record but by all means, do yourself a favour and see their live show also.

1. Shame

2. Second To None

3. Fragile

4. The Nightmare's Over

5. Bad

6. Cold Porches

7. Days Become Nights

8. Nothing To Run From

9. Violence And Smiles

10. Where Did You Go?

11. Love Like This

12. Fly Little Bird

13. ...And The Earth Stood Still