(Merenoise/MGM)

Local sludge-popsters’ long-awaited first LP

Three fine lasses and a drummer gent, Butcher Birds play the purest, juiciest, cheese-free ‘90s rock since grunge’s heyday – a solid proof that vintage Seattle ideals never really went away in Brisbane. 2006’s Eat Their Young EP showed plenty of promise and numerous, invigoratingly loud live gigs followed, yet for a number of reasons the band were reluctant to drop a full-length – up until now. Co-produced by name soundsmith and six-string fanatic Jeff Lovejoy, Set My Bones runs a gamut from the classic shouty “riot grrrl” of L7, Bikini Kill and Babes In Toyland to the more melodic, hum-friendly Breeders, Belly and Lush inflections, richly peppered with elements of shoegaze and conventional grunge. Lead singer Stacey Coleman (whose tones would make Kim Deal flash a trademark wide smile) and axewoman Jacinta Walker concoct a thick sonic tornado – none more saturated that on the opening noise maelstrom The Gate – while screamo-voiced bassist Joanna Nilson and drummer Donovan Miller (who also gets to sing on one track) provide throbbing pulse. Bare Arms, Dig Me!, Stone Fox (co-written with Screamfeeder bassist Kellie Lloyd) and Blood Message all boast lyrics covering a whole spectrum of emotions as well as contain enough febrile guitar chunk to keep the most plucky distortion fanatic satisfied. In all, sheer stylistic invention might not be Butcher Birds’ forte, yet they do both wistful harmonies and unhinged brutality very well – and that can only be a good thing.

***˝

DENIS SEMCHENKO

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