18. The Panics- Sleeps Like A Curse


So many good bands from Australia around these days who write a good pop song and choose not to soak it in rock overload but use strings and a more quirky pop-attitude to great effect- Epicure, Art of Fighting, Augie March, Gersey but to name a few of the more influential and interesting. The Panics slot in easily in that row. This Perth-band are as Australian as the heat coming from the pavement of a hot summer's day, their music being the aural equivalent of that. The opening song on this, their second album, One Too Many Itches sets the pace pretty much for the rest- singer Jae Leffer's slightly hushed and drawling voice measures up nicely against an infectious pop song with its big toe dipped in bits of surf music and country (like the yin and yang of the Australian land itself). Added slideguitar and sampling add a bit of texture but the songs themselves are pretty enough- ironically that therefore the one song with a bit more darker side titled Minor A is my favourite. Very listener friendly and a great rock 'n roll-antithesis record.