While there are plenty of reasons behind its diminished cultural impact, rock music isn’t dead. It’s never died. To make such a claim says much more about your poor music discovery skills than the supposed health of the genre. This site alone champions the local music scenes in Chicago, Nashville, Detroit, and even Cincinnati with the coverage we provide to kick-ass bands still making superlative rock music. We should also add Melbourne, Australia, to the mix. From The Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds, and Crowded House to Courtney Barnett, Amyl & The Sniffers, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, the city has been home to some of the most innovative rockers on the planet.
We should add The Belair Lip Bombs to that list.
Hailing from the suburb of Frankston, the rollicking quartet creates crusty alt-country with teeth. Released on Jack White’s Third Man Records, Again overflows with outstanding musicianship and sharp songwriting. Across 10 songs and barely 35 minutes, the band delivers no-frills music and a no-skips listening experience. The stout tunes blend the warmth of War on Drugs, the melancholy of Waxahatchee, and the breeziness of Summerteeth-era Wilco with superlative skill.
I instantly fell in love with the raw yet jangly guitar by Maisie Everett and Mike Bradvica. Their dynamic licks carried the melody with ease as they rang out with huge swing while never feeling flashy. The deep, driving bass lines from Jimmy Droughton provided the necessary oomph without overpowering the mix. Dev Devlin on drums delivers a resolute backbeat that gives the entire album a vintage Bakersfield sound.
The world-weary alto of Maisie Everett held me in thrall.
It’s a voice that has seen some serious shit, but she’s still searching for a good life and the love of a good partner. Her songs focus on deepening love and finding yourself – common lyrical ideas rendered with care, thanks to clever metaphors, thoughtful delivery, and artistic integrity. On “Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair),” she ruefully intones, “Starstruck, you gotta make your own luck / And I’m making a woman out of me.” On the blistering “Hey You,” she snaps, “Motherfucker just say what you mean / Watched you play with my heart / Is it ever what it seems?” Closing out the album, “Price of a Man” finds Everett declaring, “I got nothing to prove to you / But if you wanted to know / I’ve got a mother and a sister as well / And I’d kill a man if he ever made a joke.”
Throughout Again, the band delivered relatable riffs, accessible melodies, and friendly progressions. The Belair Lip Bombs know how to write hooks that stick to your bones and in your subconscious. The group possesses an innate knack for smartly subverting well-trodden pop-rock arrangements while still keeping things familiar. It’s the perfect combination for fun and heartfelt grooves, perfect for road trips with the top down. So, the next time you or someone you know even thinks about talking about the alleged demise of rock, just think about Melbourne and turn on the music of this cracking band.