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6 out of 10
If it hasn't already happened, Australia's I Heart Hiroshima are surely heading towards some magazine cover somewhere as 'best new band' for a week. Maybe even two. A bass-less, twin-guitar-and-drums trio, IHH have the energy of the Oxes and some of the sharpness of the Coachwhips - albeit tempered by overly-repetitive, slightly surreal lyrics and a male vocal which sounds like anaemic love-child of Jack White and Steve Albini. The voice is perfect for such lines as 'Don't give me medicine, I need a fit', though, and the strangulated punk yelping does counterpoint the female voice of IHH well - which recalls the rock purring of younger PJ Harvey, or (Hiroshima help us) Joan Jett.
Musically, we seem to have stumbled into yet another Bloc Party rehearsal (that band do get around, don't they?), with wiry, size-zero guitars relying on the deceptively simple drumming for oomph. Things go a bit downhill after hip-slinking opener Lungs, although I would hold up Punks, Crime, Throw That Metal and Stop That as proof that there's more to Brisbane than the Gabba and Donut-King. Look out for the band when Albini Jr's voice breaks - they could be onto something.
Listen: www.myspace.com/ihearthiroshima
Tracklist:
1. Lungs
2. Surgery
3. Punks
4. Teef
5. Crook'd
6. Electric lake
7. Crime
8. Wires
9. Got Bones?
10. Throw That Metal
11. Captain to Captain
12. Stop That
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