Lovers

More retro. Booooring! Harsh perhaps, because The Sleepy Jackson can craft a great tune in a Byrds/Gram Parsons/Neil Young stylee, but its as if no music was made or mattered after 1970. If 2001 and 2002 was the year of retro rock, then this year seems set to the year of the mellow revival. If you think musical accomplishment peaked with Forever Changes, then fine. You may appreciate more inoffensive, unimaginative and over-rated fuel for the fire that has burnt out originality.

To be fair, you can’t fault these Australians for not having an accomplished sound that often really gels into something approaching greatness – check ‘Vampire Racecourse’, ‘Acidic Heart’ or ‘Good Dancers’ for a decent appropriation of quality pop history from the Beach Boys to Burt to the Beatles (especially the late George Harrison). Frontman Luke Steele is blessed with a beautiful voice with an admirable range. ‘Rain Falls for Wind’ is arresting and emotive, with a great opening line “I’ve been drinking and I been thinking of you.”

Lovers is an album with some strong points, but as a whole they’re not potent enough to really deliver. We have our own Thrills. We don’t need an Australian variation just yet.