This Melbourne outfit have made a name for themselves putting out a sound that could roughly be described as retro prog. On this their second album, while they retain that distinctive old school production and general aesthetic, they have seriously upped the quirk factor, and this really sets them apart. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Pink Lemonade is quirky to the point of being considered an experimental album. So they are kind of distancing themselves from the whole ‘prog’ thing, and plotting a course that’s all their own.
Regarding the songs themselves, I keep coming back to the same theme: Pink Lemonade is damn quirky. It’s like an exploration of the individual band members’ idiosyncratic minds. The album goes in all sorts of weird, wild and wonderful directions, from catchy pop-rock to wacked out psychedelic jams to strange but soulful ballads to soundscapes that defy description.
You may think that the album must come across as some sort of crazy hodgepodge collection of tracks. But it’s not. Ultimately, it’s inexplicably cohesive at the same time. A fair whack of this is attributable to one of the few consistent elements, the soaring voice of singer Christopher De Cinque, which is equal parts classic rock and off-the-wall schizophrenia. Again, that seems strange, impossible even, but he and the band somehow manage to pull it all off and make it sound like a band that knows exactly what they’re doing.
Pink Lemonade is certainly a unique adventure for the open-minded listener. Yes, it’s outlandish, but don’t let that dissuade you. It’s also a fantastic Australian rock album that holds up against anything similar coming from anywhere.
BY ROD WHITFIELD
Best Track: Seeds of Gold
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: PORCUPINE TREE (early), TAME IMPALA, MERCURY REV
In a Word: Off-Beat
