(Independent)

Impressive debut outing from local indie-pop comb

Having formed in 2008 “on a full moon, when Sagittarius was on the cusp of Venus”, Brisbane five-piece The Brunswicks showcase their impressive songwriting and performing chops on first LP Otherwise Forever. Singer/keyboardist Rebekah Davis’s clear tone is complemented by Andrew Wheeler (who wrote the majority of the songs here) and Matthew Blair’s guitars; cue plenty of classic indie wistfulness combined with jangle and chime. Echoes of Wilco and Bends-era Radiohead occasionally resonate through a clutch of numbers, yet it’s the Neil Finn influence that singularly hovers over the record – the opening Indelible Fear even starts in a somewhat similar manner to Crowded House’s Weather With You. The musicianship often veers into dream-pop territory commonly inhabited by acts like Elysian Fields and their more recent Melbourne counterparts The Orbweavers – albeit fronted by Neko Case. Standouts like Moment With You, Pandora and In Silence quietly entice, Davis’s vocals covering the span from quiet sighs to emotive, exclamatory peaks. With an extra (subtle) gloss given by the pristine mix, Otherwise Forever is a remarkably even listen.

DENIS SEMCHENKO

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