REVIEW: Sydney Girls Choir EP

After twelve months of hype, band comp wins, national acclaim and support slots for some of Australia’s biggest acts, Sydney Girls Choir release their debut EP… and it’s a cracker.

Recorded with Anthony The (who has worked with The Vines and Wolfmother), it’s a high-quality and very impressive offering from start to finish. Having built their reputation on their dirty, bluesy take on classic rock’n’roll, Sydney Girls Choir’s self-titled EP kicks off with the slower-paced ‘Know You Know.’ Its rollicking chorus gives way to a pared-back, bass-heavy and smoky middle section, frontman Andy Thomson‘s husky voice coming to the fore.

The opening riff of second track ‘L.A’ wouldn’t be out of place in a Living End track, a Chris Cheney -style guitar lick and a thrumming bassline forming the backbone of this punchy, high-energy number. The uber-catchy ‘Everybody’s Baby’ is a more conventional pop-rock affair, the raucous singalong-style chorus offset by more sparse foot-stomping verses, allowing Thomson’s strong, clear voice to again shine through. A real feature of the EP, is the regular injection of slower, instrumental sections into the middle of the tracks; the licks of Thomson and lead guitarist Michael Hawkins fade out as drums and bass come to the fore, before the guitars explode back into life through typically jangly, bright and upbeat almost-solos from Hawkins.

‘Told You So’ is a surprise departure from the formula established in the previous tracks, a more modern rock sound not dissimilar to older Kings Of Leon or Eskimo Joe; Thomson’s voice again comes to the fore on this one, restrained and throaty vocals reminiscent of KOL’s Caleb Followill coming through above the stripped-back verse before a heavier chorus drops in with some backing vocal harmonies. It’s definitely a big departure from the first three tracks, but is without a doubt the strongest song on the EP.

Rounding out the release is ‘Stay,’ a slow-burning and raw offering that – at five and a half minutes – is by far the longest track here. Again channelling Kings Of Leon, a simple repeated guitar lick underpins the heartfelt, emotion-filled lyrics crooned by Thomson (again doing a decent Caleb Followill). Drums and bass gradually, slowly fade in, as the track builds to its climax, finally opening out to a powerful, bright yet still tender moment as the EP abruptly closes out.

A five-track serving of bright, upbeat and catchy three- to four-minute pop-rock numbers, the debut EP from Sydney Girls Choir is a very impressive affair. An extremely tight, polished and professional product from one of the region’s finest bands, hopefully this EP can shoot Sydney Girls Choir to the heights that the band themselves are capable of reaching.

Sydney Girls Choir launch their EP tonight with a show at Rydges CBD Bar, supported by Young Braves. Entry is $15, which includes a free copy of the EP.
See the Facebook event page for more info.