Stepping away from unrivalled Aussie gems The Cat Empire, Felix Riebl proves his solo worth and beyond on the four-track EP Lonely Truth. On the Beatles-esque opener and title track, Riebl elevates an initial acoustic lullaby into a blues-rock crescendo packed with percussive shimmers and triumphant horns. It wraps up with delicate piano chords and a few simple words.
Crocodiles moves at a slightly different pace, filling the ears with a swampy rock vibe. An understated bassline centres Riebl’s pensive songwriting, juxtaposed with a bright chorus. Slightly scatty, distorted horns are intermittent, sitting subtly under the instrumentation. What Did I Learn? is the hand-slapping third track with singular guitar strums that build into a major brass and percussive explosion. The EP closes with Frankie Valli, which gets off to a sombre start, warping guitars, drawn-out violins and more strings that quicken as the song builds. But don’t be fooled – there’s no big finale in sight.
Riebl has an uncanny ability to make a song satisfying, just by feigning a build-up and then leaving you hanging. But it won’t make you mad – quite the opposite in fact.
BY CHELSEA DEELEY
