Melbourne lads and best mates Michael, David, Jose and Johnny have come together to create a boy band like no other. Do not fear, they aren’t the tween heart throb boy band that 13 year olds will fall over; they are a band with an idea about the nitty gritty in the world and a necessary appreciation for Brit pop and beyond. The Byzantines are all about making music about what feels good and right at the time.
Jamaica is a fun-filled party tune with a rambunctious and visually delightful video to match, The Byzantines have hit the nail on the head with this one.
The lads have worked hard to get their music and their faces out there. Working heavily in the live music circuit, they spent 12 months earning their stripes in Adelaide and released their first EP. In 2014, they did their first European and UK tour and played support to the likes of The Delta Riggs. The band then spent 2015 laying low in order to bring us the most kick ass new music 2016 could hope for.
It’s no surprise this band is tasting the first sweet morsels of success; their music is easy to listen to and makes you want to seek out more and more. Their new single Jamaica is no exception. The song is built up around an infectious beat accompanied by a quick, repetitive guitar riff carried through the song.
It is complex and simple at the same time, which is as tough a balance to strike as the seasoning in a Marco Pierre White jus. There is a relentless melodic jingle to the music, but a calm that comes from the vocals. They are smooth paced and create that sweet simplicity. It’s good, hearty music that ticks all the boxes without going too far or seeming conceited.
Their interpretation of those nitty gritty parts of society becomes ever clearer in the accompanying music video. It REALLY sets up those stereotypes. The European family with the dominant father, the over pressured son and the family of on lookers that can’t help but to contribute to the trouble. ‘Satan’s school girls’ make mischief; skipping school with faces full of makeup and drinking goon and smoking. The stereotypical representation between the drunken, barbecuing Australian flag wearing Aussies and the drive by Europeans being harassed by them.
The video positions the main character to be up to no good, walking through his beat up neighbourhood and trying to avoid a fight. It’s confronting if you look too closely, but with the sun washed colours and the appeal of the song, the video remains intriguing and inviting.
These lads have taken their talent, turned it into music and the music into a video. They have a staunch professionalism about them which abounds with creativity and cheek. Their song is intelligent with its combination of riffs and beats and is lucid in its rhythmic debauchery and vocal stylings. The video is complex, telling a story of its own to the tune of its sonic counterpart, but they combine beautifully. The final product is a video that is engaging and Music Max worthy. Jamaica is a song that, after one listen, you’d have to be clinically insane not to buy.
