Hobart has been cultivating a strong rock and roll scene since the 1990s, when a surge of raw rocker oomph had both sides of the Bass Strait feeling the energy. The scene continued to grow and branch out, and high atop the branches of their precursors sits Treehouse. Made up of three young dudes from the Eastern Shore, their new age punk is sending ripples across the Derwent and beyond.
Hobart’s Treehouse create a sound that blurs the boundaries of punk, touching on post-punk, grunge and alt-rock.
Forming a few years back in high school, the lads, like many before, turned to music as a means to express the depression, angst and boredom of adolescence. Treehouse released their first EP tape in early 2012, with a shorter release a/b following a year later. Initially displaying a lighter note to their brand of punk, the guys have progressed to a more powerful and emotive side on their latest release, Interzone.
As their second LP, Interzone was initially released mid-2013 as a run of 100 cassette copies. It has since been picked up by Melbourne label Vacant Valley and released on vinyl and digitally, with bonus live tracks recorded on a tour held after the initial release. A collection of punk burners, the album puts all agitation and hurt to the fore, showcasing a raw aggression with guitars high in the mix to drive it all home. Paired with a solid engine room – the nails that keep Treehouse together – the tight sound is made all the more impressive in that they recorded the album (plus more) over one “pretty stressful” weekend.
Not ones to waste time, Treehouse are on the verge of releasing their next album. Touted as a double album, Gathering the Dreams/Ferntree 2012 houses four songs recorded during the Interzone sessions with 7 newer tracks. Again intending to be a 100-run release, it will surely surface in digital format shortly after.
Blurring the boundaries of punk with touches of post-punk, grunge and alt-rock, Treehouse are hastily carving out their own new age sound. With all the unbridled energy and emotion of these founding influences, it will be intriguing to see what these guys evolve to in the future. Maybe they will move on from the 90s influences, or perhaps their love of cassette tapes will keep them right there. Either way, climb on up.
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