Invention: Definition (as per Oxford online dictionary):
- The action of inventing something, typically a process or device
- Creative ability
- Used as a title for a short piece of music
- Damn good Melbourne band.
Using the above as a backdrop, the good thing about writing articles for music websites is that you get thrown someone that you might not previously have heard of or knew anything about. Last week it was Brisbane’s Columbus and their spankingly good EP Home Remedy and this week it’s local boys (that’s Melbourne, in case you missed it!) Inventions‘ recent offering.
Melbourne’s Inventions put a new spin on the alternative punk of the mid 2000s.
They’re currently promoting their new single Straight, taken from last year’s self-titled EP but I’ll talk about the whole EP because to just pluck one single from the release would do it an injustice, when all five tracks deserve a mention. As with the aforementioned Columbus, Inventions have taken bits and pieces from their influences but unlike Columbus, have made solid well layered tracks with a well-matured sound that belies their youthfulness and result: stunning! Their bio describes their sound as “alt-punk” and whilst they are the ubiquitous quintet that’s all the rage nowadays, they’ve taken it beyond that genre level – obvious influences to this reviewers ears come from Radiohead, Muse and My Chemical Romance to name but a few.
Close your eyes, drift away and opener Veil takes off with a bouncing, fairly conventional guitar & drum composition but halfway through changes direction and – whoa!!… Paranoid Android, complete with soaring vocals and twinkling of ivories building up to final verse and abrupt finish. Producer is man of the moment Dave Petrovic (who produced the recently reviewed The Mission In Motion self-titled album) and I have a feeling he had a lot of input and headaches making this EP!
New single Straight reminds me of Rise Against circa Endgame and is probably the closest to alt-punk their bio says. Halloween is a gem and if Gerard Way doesn’t hear it and say “Damn, that should have been on The Black Parade, I’ll go heave! More piano twinkles, rolling toms, double snare beats to the drum rolls building up to instantly sing-a-long chorus, this track has it all. And we all miss MCR!
First single Shadows and closer Heritage oozes Muse, complete with vocal characterisation, accentuated held notes that singer Jake Leaney pulls off with little effort, from a deeper range up to a higher pitch that just weaves it’s way, taking the listener through yet more piano as well as fuzzy, screaming guitars and the whole orchestral, experimental prog-electro rock experience that Matt Bellamy & Co. would be more than impressed with. Imitation is the best form of flattery but there’s nothing imitated here –influenced, hell yes but you just couldn’t say “Well this is all boring, I’ve heard it all before”. It’s taken Muse a few albums to get their “sound” – it’s taken Inventions an EP.
So everyone, do yourselves a favour, download the EP (it’s free, so what more do you want?), go and see them blow old-timers Emery off the stage in March, forget about Jet and Wolfmother and hoist guys like Inventions to the top of Aussie alternative charts!
Did I mention they were from Melbourne? Suffer, Sydney….
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