by Cash Savage and the Last Drinks
Cash Savage and the Last DrinksOne of Us (PBS feature record)
One Of Us is the third album from Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, and it’s a big step beyond its two excellent predecessors. It’s hard to put my finger on what’s working so well here, probably because so much has locked into place across the musicians and the pieces. The album is layered with confidence, attention, ease and cohesion. It packs a big sound, with beautiful choir moments, edgy vocal doubling, eerie lingering guitars and strong percussion. Its sparser moments are just as impactful. There’s lots of movement, feeling continually fresh and unexpected for the ever-evolving pace and rhythms. It’s Cash Savage as we know and love, with modern menace from The Last Drinks. This album is whole. We’re welcomed in with the opener Falling, Landing, ‘I hear the plane, I think we’re landing. Welcome back we’re glad that you’re here.’ We’re farewelled with One Of Us, ‘One of us is leaving, cos one of us wants to live. One of us starts thinking aloud, one of us was you.’ And the eerie post-rock guitar of the song’s fade leads us back to our beginning.
By Maddy Mac– Homebrew
Orb Birth (Featured on The Breakfast Spread)
Geelong's ORB have delivered a killer release in Birth. There's a majestic simplicity to it - an unhurried confidence that they'll get where they're going. ORB aren't trying to shoehorn all their ideas into the first verse - they let it unfurl when they're ready. The monolithic groove nods to some giants of metal/doom/stoner but these three are on their own trip. Their steady, rumbling progress and meditative devotion to the riff is punctuated by subtle shifts throughout. Even at their most jammy, ORB are purposeful and tight - there's plenty of muscle lurking underneath but no macho need to prove that it's there. By the time closer "Electric Blanket" spools its way out past the quarter hour mark you're swimming laps in your head. Perfect for cranking up in front of the fire in the the depths of winter, Birth is just the thing to slow your brain down. This is a deeply satisfying record.
By Nick Brown – The Breakfast Spread
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