Needle in the vein – oops, I meant groove – time again as Australia’s balance of payments takes a boost thanks to the export performance of Miss Destiny. Well, it would be nice if some raucous and relentless music from down under could actually have economic effectiveness. It would, wouldn’t it?
“House of Wax” is a restless song with the kind of full speed ahead nihilism that seems borne of the same urban dystopia that once made punk what it was. Keeping the chord count low and the attitude quotient high helps, of course, but it is the somewhat homicidal female vocals that add the sonic value.
On the flipside – this is, after all, vinyl - is “The One” again swathed in reverb and the kind of informed lyrical bleakness that would have won the approval of Joe Strummer back in the days. The guitars spit the aggression this time but there is no doubt that both these songs have the same parents.
I reckon that if these songs were to be played loud enough to be heard on the moon, then they would stop our world spiralling into terminal indifference. Music saves planet earth yet again (if you remember to turn the volume all the way up, that is).