It's been almost two years since the last one from Australia's Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and we've gone from lockdown to freedom, and back again, and back out again. It's been a mess of a few years but the consistency of this kind of guitar-based indie remains a hopeful thing. The licks and riffs here, combined with the smart lyrics make Endless Rooms, out tomorrow on Sub Pop, one of this week's best releases.
The band eases into this one, a brief interlude coming before opener proper "Tidal River", a nice, wire-y bit of Verlaine-style business, while "My Echo" takes that vibe and runs it into the territory populated by early Go-Betweens and Triffids numbers. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever make all of this sound effortlessly constructed, with each selection retaining a sense of the unpredictable. "The Way It Shatters", of the catchiest things I've heard in ages, positively soars, while "Dive Deep", the recent single varies things up a bit by taking a down-tempo approach.
And for any moment here that feels like the start of a new direction, there's loads more moments where chords and hooks drive this into the heart of summer. It's "Vanishing Dots" that signals again how great this lot remain. It's a churning, shimmering confection, part Feelies and part Hoodoo Gurus, for those looking for comparison points. But, sure, you can do that but Rolling Blackouts are consistently mapping their own territory, blending their influences expertly, with little wasted. Endless Rooms, despite a few slow moments, largely continues the band's winning streak.
Endless Rooms is out tomorrow via Sub Pop.
[Photo: Nick McKinlay]