A belated Happy New Year to you all. It should come as no surprise that there are still some gems waiting to be heard from 2025. Equally unsurprising is that this one comes from Australia. I saw the video for ‘Flippin’ Stomp’ by chance on YouTube recently, and this was enough to have me searching out the album, ‘Introducing The Gnomes’ online.

The above song is unashamedly 60s influenced, regardless of their penchant for mullets and moustaches. But there are even more Beatlish tunes on the album; ‘I’ll Be There’ would almost be considered too close to The Rutles for comfort, were it not such a great song. The same can be said for the opening song, ‘Better With You’. And throughout this, their third long player, they show that, while their influences are blatant, their talent with a melody and their obvious love for what they do rises above kitsch. Not to mention their infectious energy, in a Monkees style.

‘Open Your Eyes’ could give The Speedways a run for their money, veering towards power pop territory, while ‘Won’t Quit You’ sits somewhere between The Pretty Things and The Yardbirds. You can’t fault their taste, and they have the tunes to back it up. ‘I Like It’ is a two-minute slab of Kinks-style joy, but ‘Stung’ takes us on a groovy, 6 minute journey of a paisley print nature. It’s as if the previous albums have been leading to this point, where The Gnomes can branch out their 60s roots but retain an identity. It’s really impressive stuff. Initially, the solo project of Jay Millar, this has become a band to be reckoned with. 12 great tunes, no filler, played with a ton of enthusiasm. I’ve found a late contender for one of my favourite albums of 2025. Fab gear, indeed.

Buy Here

Author: Martin Chamarette