Each and every track on The New Republic is meticulously crafted.
“World class” is a term that springs to mind when listening to the debut album from Melbourne’s Black And White. Forming in the demise of Phillip Island prog act The Format, these guys have honed their style into an ultra-slick, electro alternative rock sound that would sit just as comfortably on the airwaves of Triple M as it does played live and loud at a local venue. And this listener simply can’t stop listening to it, such is its infectious appeal.
Each and every track on The New Republic is meticulously crafted. There is an almost ideal balance between electro and rock, and the songs themselves are stick-in-your-head catchy with grooves like you wouldn’t believe. Best-tune honours would have to go to the relentless drive of Summer Sun, the slow-burning groove of stadium-ready Violence, and closer Staring at the Sun, which rounds off the album in exhilarating fashion. But every song on the record is a slice of danceable but rockin’ gold.
The production is sensational and the drums are a truly bombastic feature. Every instrument and sample employed is crystal clear and vibrantly bursts into life, which is incredible because they apparently did it all themselves. It’s obvious that much time, care and patience has been taken.
The one and only disappointment is the album’s relative brevity. At less than 30 minutes, it’s over all too quickly. But just do what I do and turn around and listen to it all over again.
By rights, commercial radio should be picking this up and flogging it. They should then be signed to a multinational record label and pushed to international audiences – they certainly deserve it. Hopefully Black And White can carve out a profile of their own in this country in the coming years, and then push themselves abroad. Only time will tell. But, in the meantime, we have this absolute gem of an album to enjoy. Buy it!
Best track: Violence
If you dig these, you’ll dig this: The Air Between MM9, The Trouble With Angels Filter, The Fat Of The Land The Prodigy.
In a word: Striking.
