Songs are a four part jangly pop band and SEO nightmare from Sydney. Signed to local independent label Popfrenzy, the group achieve the ever-charming male/female vocal dynamic, with young stunner Ela Stiles and silver fox Max Doyle. Each with one hand firmly on the songwriting reins, pulling a sleigh full of gorgeous Aussie guitar-pop.
They first introduced themselves with a 4-track EP in 2008, before releasing their captivating debut full-length and self-titled album in 2009; drumming up a mesmerizing brand of low-fi guitar pop which garnered comparisons to The Triffids, Sonic Youth and The Go-Betweens.
Just desserts for serving up a killer debut album soon arrived, with the band spending the next few years supporting the likes of Deerhunter and Beach House, as well as earning slots at prestigious showcases including the massive SXSW in 2010 and the growing Australian equivalent, Bigsound. Their next few moves were for the purists, releasing two split 7” records, initially with Melbourne indie rockers Love of Diagrams, and then with legendary New Zealand outfit The Bats. By 2012 it was time for Sounds to head back to the studio and compile their own follow-up album.
With plenty of hype to live up to, they delivered and then some, releasing Malabar in March 2013. The album launch tour followed in April, and the response rocketed them all the way to a spot on the Splendour in the Grass bill. Malabar never strays too far from their established pop sensibilities, but manages to exhibit a maturation of style, with lineup changes evidently injecting new found spontaneity and creativity, generating a more progressive and flowing whole.
There can’t really be bigger ups for a band than getting a nod from a musical peer and idol, and Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens delivered Sounds a full blown headbutt, declaring that their full-length efforts are “two of the best rock albums to come out of Australia in the past five years”. If you’d like to hear some you can Google ‘Songs music’ and swing wildly through the 3 BILLION RESULTS (true story), or take the easy route through Popfrenzy’s Bandcamp page.
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