Another ear-bendingly fine band from the Brisbane scene, THE BLACKWATER FEVER kick up an almighty thunder for a mere duo.
Comprising Shane Hicks (vocals/ guitar) and drummer Andrew Walter, they are purveyors of the finest quality, dark-hearted garage rock. 'Better off Dead' and 'Lovesick' are prime cuts from their début album 'Sweet Misery' (2008) and they demonstrate just how much life and invention can still be squeezed from the most primitive (yet vital) of all Rock'n'Roll tools.
Both are impressive beasts. 'Better off Dead' finds fork-tongued and feverish slide guitars slithering around a swamp, clinging to Glam-stomp drums, while the wonderfully edgy 'Lovesick' is all tension, release and low-riding guitar. Both are caressed by Hicks' notably lived-in honey and nicotine growl, while his 'school of hard knocks' lyrics (“all it took was a taste to lose our self-control”) ensure the band's songs are forever perched on a sharp crag between pleasure and pain.
|
Like Kid Dakota and Little Fish, The Blackwater Fever show there's much more to being a guitar and drums duo than aping The White Stripes. Succumbing to their special brand of fiery poison proves to be a surprisingly rewarding experience.
Plus One Records online
|
