Sounds Like Sunset - Invisible

You’re alone on the freeway. The broken fence posts dotting the road side are flying past in a blur. Your thoughts are still. All you have is the steady pulse of drums, bass, soaring guitars and dreamy vocals. All you have is Sounds Like Sunset’s new album in the compact disc player and you’re doing fine.

Invisible is a zen-like return from Australia’s finest purveyors of shoe-gazing style indie pop/rock. Perhaps, at last, the rest of the world can share the secret in greater numbers. The band’s last album, the debut Saturdays, was universally hailed, but their reputation beyond Sydney and eventually beyond Australia was certainly only a gradually spreading awareness.

Formed in 1997, Sounds Like Sunset came together in a monotone post-grunge environment when Sydney was experiencing a less than invigorating period in rock music. No local radio dedicated to the scene, only a handful of venues, and always the threat of those closing down. But it wasn’t all dire. The music was there but you just had to search a little harder for it.

Along came Sounds Like Sunset, hailing from Sydney and the New South Wales central coast area, who quickly set about tearing our ears off with their noise drenched pop delights. I mean this was a band so defiantly loud, only half the venues would have them. And that meant three. But who cares? What stood the band apart were neat guitar skills, smart songwriting and glorious melodies.

In a live setting, the band are indeed an uncompromisingly loud guitar band in the truest sense of six string worship. They are however susceptible to a dodgy mix or off night. Subsequently, in recorded form, I believe the band truly shines. But don’t get me wrong – when they’re on live, they’re untouchable.

So for their first album, Sydney label Modular signed them and released Saturdays which was met with descriptions such as this: “If the Beach Boys reformed and were transported through punk and grunge, stopping on their way for a quick collaboration with the Stone Roses and My Bloody Valentine, they might sound like this.” Not bad eh?

People were vibed. Here was a band we could be truly proud to call our own, brandishing their confident, thrilling and loud take on sugary, shoegaze pop. So what happened? Well sometimes beauty can be a fragile thing. Sounds Like Sunset weren’t perhaps the most ambitious of outfits and various set backs (possibly including lower than expected sales) stood in the way of a speedy follow up. But I’m excited to say that’s all in the past now.

This is an album that will get rave reviews everywhere it lands, positively sparkling with pristine, wistful melodies courtesy of frontman, guitarist songwriter Dave Challinor. The rest of the band (David Hobson – bass, Andrew Fevre – guitar, Tobey Doctor – drums) are no slouches either, hosting Challinor’s songs in wall of sound, feedback-drenched templates, often so loud and mesmerising they conversely add to the whole lullaby effect.

Highlights include First Time with its poignant sense of tracing lost innocence. Sounds Like Sunset are always at their strongest when matching noisy fuzzed out guitars and blaring feedback with sweeter than honey vocals – and First Time is a great example of the band’s trademark. The sheer volume against melodies which recall Red Kross, Brian Wilson and bands like Lush and Ride is an effective tool. The strengths of contrast are not lost on this band.

The first radio single, Frequency, is another strong cut. With a simple three-chord backing, the song coasts along with a happy, circular pop vocal melody. It’s deceptively simple in its execution and just begs for repeated plays so you go along for the ride once more.

The album stays in the same mid-tempo, loud rocking gear for the most part, the abrasiveness matching the sweet melodies all the way. This could indicate a lack of diversity, but in the case of Sounds Like Sunset, what a gear this is.

When the band really does change things up, it’s to great effect. It’s My Star sees the band pull back on the propulsive straight ahead energy for a spell, to reveal what is Invisible, the prettiest song. The vocal sits high in the mix, and a dreamy sense pervades the track as glistening guitars float across catchy drums and bass.

As Dave sings, “It’s coming through your window,” one imagines just how many listeners’ windows Invisible will float through in coming months.