The space where lo-fi emo meets bedroom anti-folk is where Sydney’s Miserable Kids Club reigns supreme.
The album begins with Deserve which is like an Elliot Smith song sung by Gareth Campesinos! Dripping in nervousness, anxiety, regret and introspection, the words spill from author Alexander Woollams like blood from a self-inflicted cut. This is a moving, powerful place to start.
As the album progresses, the earnest and emotional tone stays the same, but the way in which the messages are delivered varies.
We encounter depressive but at the same time rather warm-spoken word pieces, we’re met with beautiful nylon string guitar tones, slightly wonky acoustic alt-rock vibes, absolutely visceral, guttural, painful-sounding screams and at times, a naive, almost lullaby-like delicacy.
Having said this, throughout the course of the album, there’s a consistent, definitive sonic identity. There are clearly touches of Nick Drake, early Conor Oberst and Iron & Wine at play here as well as elements of acts like The Used and Brand New, but this could only be the work of one distinctly tortured soul.
By the time we reach the closing track (the fantastically titled If I Believe In The Universe Will It Believe In Me) there is a faint glimmer of hope. Lyrics like “I know I’ve been living in darkness, but now I’m aiming for light” and “move on and breathe” provide a couple of fleeting rays of sunshine that just about break through the perennial grey skies of the album.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
