Revier

Jan

posted by Reggie Maurice

I was recently faced with the confronting truth that bedroom-based beats producers are not the only individuals creating music in Australia. There is a lot to be said for rediscovering various ways to make a Roland 808 Drum-Machine sound interesting, but apparently some humans still enjoy playing instruments in the vicinity of other humans. Historically speaking (and I got this from a book), these ensembles have become known as ‘bands’. Revier are just such a group. With their debut EP in tow, they’ve been ‘making some noise’ on the Sydney scene recently, supporting certain ‘it’ bands and playing at various ‘hip’ venues. They are bringing to the table what some critics have called ‘music’ and some punters have called ‘a dreamy frontman’.

Let’s talk influences: the conversational falsetto is very Buckley, the impression that the singer is toying with the notes around the melody is very Buckley. The songs are reflective, relational and downcast, with Morrisey’s earnestness of expression but without his unmediated misery. I understand the knee-jerk outcry that could result from making these comparisons; but I don’t want to deify artists to the point where stylistic links can’t be drawn. Clearly it isn’t enough to simply emulate the greats (after all, the general public didn’t give Matt Corby much attention until he took a step away from Jeff Buckley and revealed more of himself with ‘Brother’). In Revier’s case, the lyrical content is a strong point, with enough specificity and interesting word choice to establish Jack Froggat’s storytelling voice as distinct and personal. There is possibly a bit of a luddite rockism inherant in the sound [Read: they play guitars], but it is nice to hear a band that isn’t obsessed with synthesisers.

If you’re looking for huge bangerz, this EP is not your jam. It is probably best to find a time when you can sit for a moment and listen straight through a few tracks, to take you on the journey. For a taste though, here’s the single ‘Coins On Your Eyes’. It’s a sonically rich tune and good representation of the direction they’ve taken on this EP.

In a packed-out live show I recently witnessed, the tightness of the arrangements allowed for some really visceral musical moments. Some of these hard-hitting moments have been somewhat lost in the reverb-infused sound of the EP (presumably a production decision, some people may prefer the result). But I think the one of the most exciting things about this band is that sense of potential that comes with youth (through sleuthing and phone-tapping I was able to discover that the average age in the band is 19.75). It will be interesting to see how Revier develop their own voice, and whether or not they’re to become a presence on the Australian scene.

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Tags: Sydney