Back in the mid-naughties, the track ‘ Broken Bones ‘ put Melbourne band Blackchords into the limelight, after becoming a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition , and had its music video take out awards at St Kilda Film Festival . Fast forward to now, and Blackchords have just returned from touring the USA and Canada, including showcases at SXSW and Canadian Music Week . As well as this they’ve just released their sophomore album A Thin Line , thanks to a successful Pozible campaign, which allowed the band to hide away in a Yarra Valley barn to write and record the follow-up.
A Thin Line isn’t so much a new direction for the band, rather a shedding of unnecessary layers found on their 2009 debut album, Blackchords . Gone are the violin embellishments and folky acoustic songs, in favour of exploring the synth, guitar, bass, drum and key combination akin to the debuts ‘ Diplomat ‘ and ‘ At Worlds End .’
The title track, ‘ A Thin Line ‘ tinkers with percussion to begin, then layers of guitars, vocals, synth, and keys amount to solid instrumental moments which pass ever so smoothly to relatable and hauntingly delivered lyrics. “My body is asleep, my mind runs wild,” sings Nick Milwright in his signature controlled, but captivating, tone. Lead guitarist Damien Cazaly and Milwright (also on guitar) often breakout into wild explosions of contorting guitar sound. ‘ Into The Unknown ‘ and ‘ Kitchen ‘ show the softer side of this interaction between band members, with the electronic guitar intwining its melody between the breaks in Milwright’s hushed vocals.
The first single ‘ Oh No ‘ was released back in February, its accompanying video-clip featuring piles of dusty white powder in aztec patterns and contemporary dance. Check it out below, and listen for the punchy drum and the playful jaunt between keys and rhythm guitar.
‘ As Night Falls ‘ begins with just vocals, bass and keys, feeling like it could become a soppy love track. It does develop into something a little less like a ballad with the ‘ooos’ screaming with similarity to US duo Beach House , and the effects on bass adds another element of Blackchord flair.
A sea of smooth synth keys on ‘ Sleepwalker ‘ is injected with Tristan Courtney ‘s bass part that delivers more than a tonal grounding to the track, but rather a horizontal voice – like the bass might do in a jazz setting for example. But then the regular progression takes over, before a twirky synth break pre-empts a beefed up guitar and synth key chorus.
‘ Dance, Dance, Dance’ is an uptempo song from these guys, but it’s still got their sound about it and makes for a nice balance on the album. ‘ From Here ‘ offers a different sound yet again, strongly sung with boingy electronics. It’s a vastly lush track that feels like the album was heading here from its onset.
‘ A Thin Line ‘ is available on iTunes and is currently streaming at themusic.com.au . Check out the remaining tour dates below and visit their website for more details.
Saturday April 20 – The Hideaway, Brisbane QLD
Friday April 26 – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney NSW
WORDS BY Leah Phillips
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