RVG - Feral

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 27 / 5 / 2020

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Review

Emerging from the sun-kissed streets of Melbourne, Australia, back in 2017 with a confident debut album 'A Quality of Mercy', RVG have been making waves on the alternative scene ever since. A band clearly schooled on the rich tapestry offered up by fellow Aussies the Go-Betweens and the Triffids as well as the indie guitar bands that operated in the margins in the UK in the mid-1980s. Yet they add their own twist on things to keep the sound fresh. 'Feral' builds on the debut to push things on a notch and may just be the best album to come from down under this year. Opening with recent single, 'Alexandra', the album grabs immediately with the ringing guitar twang and singer Romy Vager's striking vocals laced with hints of Robert Forster and Brett Anderson. 'Asteroid' carries on the same hook-laden fashion, while 'Christian Neurosurgeon' has a slightly more angular new wave feel. Brando and Chrissie Hynde are named checked in the instantly catchy pop of 'Little Sharkie and the White Pointer Sisters', before, in both lyrical style and delivery, 'Help Somebody' could have been a classic Forster penned Go-Betweens song from 1987’s 'Tallulah'. The album’s highlight is the sublime break-up song 'I Used To Love You' with the angst-riddled declaration of "We’re just not the same anymore" - perfect for a million college bedrooms. 'Prima Donna' lifts the guitar hook from the Brilliant Corners' wonderful 'Meet Me On Tuesdays' and is all the better for it. 'Perfect Day' and 'The Baby and the Bottle' are both sparkling pop nuggets, the latter in particular sounding very much like a Johnny Marr number. Closing track, 'Photograph', is a slow-building seven minute epic – the ideal come down from the three and half minute pop that has gone before. Even in these strangest of times with lockdown in full swing, track down this album and dance around the kitchen. You’ll feel better!

Track Listing:-

1 Alexandra
2 Asteroid
3 Christian Neurosurgeon
4 Little Sharky & The White Pointer Sisters
5 Help Somebody
6 I Used To Love You
7 Prima Donna
8 Perfect Day
9 The Baby & The Bottle
10 Photograph

Band Links:-

https://www.rvgband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RVGBAND/

Label Links:-

https://twitter.com/firerecordings
https://www.facebook.com/Firerecords
http://www.firerecords.com/
https://firerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/fire_records/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Firerecor

Have a Listen:-