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Luca Brasi If This Is All We're Going To Be Poison City Records 29 April 2016 Review by Luke Stefanac |
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From playing lounge room floors and filthy pubs to releasing their third record, Tasmania’s premier punks Luca Brasi have come a long way since these humble beginnings. Written over the last few years amongst endless touring, album number three ‘If This Is All We’re Going To Be’ signifies a growth from their past two efforts as the band hits their stride in marrying hard hitting and melodic edges. The album opens with first single Aeroplane, which can only be described as an absolute belter, complete with the weaving guitars and shout along choruses we’ve come to love. While it provides a perfect snapshot of Luca Brasi, it does so without feeling like a rehash of old ideas - the chorus progression caught me be surprise (in a very good way) and little touches like the delayed calm before the storm highlights an attention to detail present throughout the rest of the album. Drop Out is similar to the opener in execution, with a driving intensity propelled by the drums balanced by sparse and melodic phrases. This eye for every ingredient is doubly apparent in the slow burning Treading Water and Count Me Out, both centred around intricate melodies that echo the self inspecting lyrics narrating highs and lows. While Treading Water is grounded by a gritty bass line, Count Me Out is an airy closer that floats above the rest, aided by both harmonies and understated keys before bringing it back home with a cathartic and raucous refrain. The introspective nature of the record follows each song and fits into the context instead of tacking the spotlight, evident in Overwhelmed / Ill Prepared which feels like a boiling point in the narrative, mirrored by the resounding and urgent arrangement. Songs like the striding The Cascade Blues and frantic Man, This Is Living help bolster out an album that hits all the marks, feeling both fresh and insipring. ‘If This Is All We’re Going To Be’ isn’t a question, it’s a statement sung loud and proud, proving that Luca Brasi are the best export from Tassie since Cascade. 'If This Is All We're Going To Be' is out now through Poison City Records. |