Lower Plenty

Add Date: April 23 

Artist: Lower Plenty 

Album: Hard Rubbish 

Label: Fire 

Genre: Rock, lo-fi, folk 

Comments: The Melbourne quartet Lower Plenty includes members of other underground bands like UV Race and Total Control; debut LP Hard Rubbish was already named as the 2012 album of the year by Australian music magazine Mess+Noise, and it's now getting a U.S./UK release on Fire Records (Mission of Burma, Pere Ubu).

From the promoter: "Raw and delicate, Hard Rubbish was recorded on eight-track reel-to-reel tape, often in just a single take. Their folk-tinged indie rock is flecked with experimentation whilst retaining a firm hold on some fantastically memorable melodies. With a non-traditional set-up of two guitars, drums and processed percussion with four vocals--Lower Plenty are set to take us on a very exciting ride."

I really like this album--it sounds like a cross between Flying Nun's finest and lo-fi bedroom folk. "Strange Beast" (track 2) is the gem; also spin 7, 8, 4 and 3.