Australia is easily producing some of the best new records anywhere on the planet currently and Melbourne garage rockers Money For Rope add further weight to that assumption with their new long player ‘Picture Us’. From the restrained introduction of ‘Hold’ works well before easing us into ‘Actually’ again quite restrained to begin with it builds steadily rises to the solo then falls back into line again maybe reflecting the fact this was recording during another balmy Australian summer so nothing too frantic which is understandable.

It’s not until ‘Stretched My Neck’ does the tempo break a sweat with some great vocals and backing vocals the temperature gets raise as the solo soars.  Guitarist, singer and songwriter Jules McKenzie is a talented guy and has a great handle on writing pop-tinged garage psych songs never overstaying their welcome and managing to keep things fresh and interesting throughout the record. ‘O’Chelles’ is quirky yet listenable something along the lines of new wave maybe a slightly fucked up XTC maybe?

‘Earl Grey’ is perhaps inspired by the bands time spent in North London before writing and recording the album but again its got a slightly spacey new wave feel to proceedings with a solid backbeat courtesy of the bands double drumming approach. Again a slightly restrained feel until it breaks out and the tempo raises. The best track on the album so far.

To be fair this is the albums purple patch as ‘Trashtown’ takes a walk on the wild side and has a psychedelic stretch out . To close off the record McKenzie lays back with the acoustic guitar for a gentle strum through ‘What Takes So Long’ on a simple yet enjoyable tune.  File under fairly easy listening and if the weather gets nice n hot over the summer then sling this on when it’ll all make perfect sense and ‘Picture Us’ will come into its own.

Website 

Author: Dom Daley