01-Jun-2010

Rave Magazine

RELEASE OF THE WEEK

What the hell do they put in Perth’s water?

Alex Elbery, singer-songwriter for Stereoflower, started this album on his own, with the kind of sunny pop sound and straightforward lyrical approach of an exceptionally switched-on 17-year-old indie music consumer.

He was then enhanced by friends Rufus Marmaduke, Mark Remarko and Dr Blythe, on guitar, bass and drums respectively.

The result of this teenage Perth quartet is an addictive debut. Their wallowing, dreamy and uncannily British rock sound has earned them comparisons to The Stone Roses, Oasis, Arcade Fire and Bright Eyes.

Personally I’m inclined to declare, loudly, that Elbery is the next Conor Oberst, only local (and within my reach).

I was positively stunned by his energetic, often melancholic wails.

Favourites include The Cocaine Bebop and If Wishes Were Horses (Then We’d All Be Cowboys), in which Elbery cringes, “And if you want to hurt me, sir / Then hurt me / And if you want to crack my skull / Just do it now” in high spirits.

Stereoflower will be in fashion soon, so try and discover them before everyone else does.

ALICE REZENDE