Papa vs Pretty - HeavyHarm EP

Mon 27th Sep, 2010 in Music Reviews

Imagine being able to tell the world you’ve supported Phoenix, British India and Surfer Blood – not to mention playing numerous national festivals, selling out a sardine-packed headline show and boasting 16 unreleased EPs under your belt.

Impressive? Definitely. Yet it’s certainly quite a struggle to believe young Sydney trio Papa vs Pretty have achieved the aforementioned and carry on creating such mature audible magic. I can assure you, however, that 19-year-old Thomas Rawle (lead vocals/guitar), 20-year-old Angus Gardiner (bass) and 18-year-old Tom Myers (drums/BVs) truly are the wonderkids behind it all proving that age is just a number in the music world.

Having grown a little more, the boys are back on the scene with their Paul Dempsey produced third studio EP, Heavy Harm, which reflects musicianship and song writing capabilities far beyond their tender years.

Reminiscent of a Jeff Buckley ballad, Heavy Harm, opens with a heart-wrenching melody born out of delicate guitar work, raw vocal delivery and the odd falsetto note. It’s an interesting and equally effective choice for first single, thanks to the radio-friendly solid chorus also evident in highlight tracks I Still Believe In Us and Ask Yourself.

Sgt. Suffer sets a greasier mood – emitting a darker, faster, effect-driven rock sound featuring some good ol’ shredding amid smashing percussion and groovy bass.

The pleasantly subdued, less chaotic Piper showcases the band’s ability to produce infectious hooks and jam mini solos into short song structures without compromising a tight sounding arrangement. It’s raw in the same manner as the warm, stripped down acoustic, I Still Believe In Us.

Although the EP has received slight criticism by some for leaping across genres, this unrestricted musical nature is what’s driving live show appeal and setting such a dynamic band apart from most contemporary peers.

Not short on emotion, Heavy Harm will keep your ears on edge. How many artists are capable of writing prolific lyrics to shades of various genres spanning classic grunge to indie, jazz, electronica, folk and sweet rock and still have enough creative juice readily available in brain storage?