CD Review: The Novocaines – Courtesy Eventually

CD Reviews — 22 March 2011

Review By Katie Rolston

You know that crease between the back and the bum of the lounge chair? Listening to THE NOVOCAINES‘ new EP ‘Courtesy Eventually’ makes you sink through the old leather into an abyss of somewhat psychedelic garage rock with a fag fuming between careless lips.

The delivery of ‘Courtesy Eventually’ marks well deserved territory for the band. Songs incorporate the expected distortion, strained vocals and nostalgia for dimly lit, sweaty basement jams but infuse strong riffs and structured production.

It is a welcome surprise to hear EP opener ‘Adhere To’. With its kick-back sound and clean vocal quality, it psychs you up at the same time as easing you into listening. After high rotation on Triple j’s airwaves late last year, it is almost a comfort to hear.

Track two ‘Just Scrape By’ is a party starter with opening line, “I couldn’t live without bass in the stereo,” and almost has a pop-rock ring to it.

Middle tracks ‘Would You Ever’ and ‘Lovers Teeth’ leave room for The Novocaines’ usual antics and chance to create those windows to jam and bust out unrestrained, full-on garage grunge.

Instrumentals still seem a strong focus on this release, though sometimes become dominated by the main riff. This is not to be frowned upon as they lend themselves to a more balanced recording instead of over-blended distortions and carried away jams.

Closing up shop with ‘We Have Control’ shows sensitivity to an EP drawing to a close. It is definitely an end-of-the-day sounding song and is one final chance to blast yourself into oblivion. If distortion can sound blissfully poetic and pretty, it is definitely achieved on this album closer, if not the entire recording.

The EP shows a step up for The Novocaines in terms of experimenting beyond their usual sound, incorporating easy-to-follow melodies and a higher-fidelity sound compared to previous records.