78 Saab - No Illusions

Wed 6th Jul, 2005 in Music Reviews

Before I begin, I must declare that 78 Saab has in the past fallen into that category of criminally underrated Australian acts. These guys have been slogging it out on the live circuit for several years now, and the maturity of the songwriting within their latest longplayer is testament to the years of trial-and-error. A tour with Sarah Blasko is currently underway, and single No Illusions from the Crossed Lines album adds to the band’s growing artillery. Having already toured with The Thrills and The Shins, 78 Saab certainly aren’t wasting any time getting their pop rock feet in the door with fans of these international acts.

Funnily enough, the initial vocals on No Illusions has a decidedly Shins feel, melding multilayered harmonies with sunny reverb. Swinging into an intricately constructed ballad, No Illusions doesn’t reach any new experimental ground, but is endearingly and undeniably honest. A shimmering rhythm section carries a pleasant tangle of guitars while Ben Nash’s breathy vocals complement the arrangement perfectly. It’s hard not to begin the descent into gushy cornball statements describing this one – it has an inherent ability to warm the heart.

Turn Out the Lights is insistently pop, filled out with an Eastern flavour and countless hooks. Nash really lets rip while Nicholai Danko supplies the frantic elliptical rhythm that seems to be accountable for the song’s contagious factor. This variation in style works incredibly well for the band, the tautness of the track sounding almost electronic and the performance virtually effortless. Remember Arkarna? This smacks of that kind of smoothed-over pop rock, without sounding quite so androgynous.

Come On is another low-key number, with the focus on the pleading vocals and twinklings of lead guitar. The only downside is that with the straightforward approach, this track begins to plod after a while, Nash’s vocals becoming the only dynamic force in the mix. But with two absolute gems on this single release, you may be too busy pushing the repeat button to let this one taint the experience.