Wow, what a package. The casing is an actual book, probably about 30 pages long, with hand written text and moody photos of, you guessed it, houses. There’s also lyrics, and notes regarding each song.
The music is just as broad and unexpected as the packaging. It’s folk, it’s rock and it’s progressive in its own way. It’s emotional, expansive, introspective, soulful. It’s all of these things and plenty more.
Essentially it’s 12 unique, beautifully crafted songs that tug at the heartstrings, put a smile on your face and get you singing along all at once. There is an overriding folk element running through virtually all of the tracks, but there is a lot more going on here.
These Perth lads have a history in heavier, more progressive rock bands, and it’s like they’ve injected the sensibilities and philosophies (as opposed to the actual sounds and playing) of that style of music into folk music, without sounding like that’s what they’re trying to do.
Maybe a better way to put it would be to say that it’s folk rock, but folk rock that’s bigger, bolder and more atmospheric than most folk rock. Many folk rock acts are either too folky for rock fans to get into, or vice versa. The Siren Tower are neither. Fans of either style can and will love The Siren Tower, they tread that fine line with the skill of an experienced tightrope walker.
BY ROD WHITFIELD
Best Track: Last Apple In The Big Man’s Orchard
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: ENGINE THREE SEVEN (in their folkier moments), JEN CLOHER, BOY AND BEAR
In A Word: Triumphant
