Downbeats

by Terra Pines

Grunge-gaze? Sludge-pop? Whatever you want to call

it, it's heavy and beautiful and sticks in your head long

after the last peal of feedback fades. Downbeats is

the second album from Brisbane / Meanjin trio Terra

Pines, following on from 2018's self titled record and a

string of singles. It refines and develops the debut's

sonic signature – the dual harmonised vocals still

soothe while the twin guitars and drums wallop you in

the head, but now the band does it with a few little

tweaks and unexpected shifts. There's elements of

post-punk and dream-pop (see the single Harp On),

dynamically shifting epics (the cosmically focused

Blood Moon), jangly fuzz-pop (Green), blown-out

slowcore (the languid yet brutal Wiseacre) and, of

course, crushingly fuzzed out guitars (the best example

being the lead single and pseudo- title track,

Downbeat).

The trio of Kelly Hanlon (vocals & guitar, Deafcult &

Ancient Channels), Owen Dengate (guitar, Ghost

Notes) and Cameron Smith (vocals & drums, Spirit

Bunny, Tape/Off) combine into something abrasive

yet comforting, a sonic thunderstorm that lulls you into

submission.