Super Wild Horses
The Lithuanian Club, Melbourne
Saturday 4th April, 2009
The Lithuanian Club is at the centre of a labyrinthian network of long and traditionally decorated hallways somewhere deep in the guts of North Melbourne town hall. It's an unusual venue, in that it's more like a secret clubhouse than say, The Corner. Akin to the dark recesses of those dubiously international mens clubs that dot the main arterials of the northern suburbs. Which makes it the perfect location for this 7" launch for Super Wild Horses.
For despite being just a "skeletal pop" duo - originally from Perth - Amy Franz and Hayley McKee make a gang. That they're fronting up to some of the darker (and tonight, wobblier) denizens of the underground Melbourne music scene seems not to phase them in the slightest. Plus, having already been embraced by Eddy Current Suppression Ring guitarist Mikey Young, who's releasing the band's EP on his Aarght! records label (as well as manning the decks between bands tonight), perhaps it's a moot point. Oh yeah, and they're ace.
The duo front up to the audience with the air of bravado that only deep confidence in your mate can muster. They play just dirty Danelectro guitar and snappy drums - with some low end keyboard notes mixed in care of whoever can reach from the kit - creating sharp, rhythmic pop songs of just a few minutes in length. While both swapping between guitar and drums, their twin vocal attack is likewise joyously punchy; shirking off harmonies in favour of double-tracked chants and high-pitched yelps. It sounds rough but translates as damn exciting - hypnotic even. This raucousness belies their tunes' catchiness; it's the attack of garage punk dressed in '60s girl group arrangements, played with the vigour of people wanting to beat the shit out of something as much as buoyed by how much fun it is. And in the hands of the striking Franz and McKeen, it's nothing less than thrilling.
They're playing a bunch around Melbourne in the next few weeks. Go see 'em.
www.myspace.com/superwildhorses