Various Artists - A Million Square Miles (Album)
Turn the clock back a few years and most people were convinced there was something in the water in WA because of the sheer number of excellent acts who called that piece of Australia home. Fast forward to 2010 and it seems our short attention spans have been diverted elsewhere in the search of the source of the 'next big thing'.
A Million Square Miles is a compilation by Hidden Shoal Recordings offering a sample of current West Australian music. Drawing together 16 tracks from eight artists, it successfully navigates the folk, indie pop and rock genres.
Mukaizake offer 'The Yeah Conditioner' and 'My Friend Flicker' – the first a catchy, indie pop song with rolling guitars. The latter combines effeminate vocals (think Andy Bull or Brian Molko from Placebo) with music from the ocean (think Incubus circa 'Morning View').
Apricot Rail offer two psychedelic-sounding instrumental numbers. 'Pouring Milk out the Window' starts with dreamy and lyrical piano tones before setting the scene for calmness and serenity on a west coast beach where the ocean kisses the sand. 'The Parachute Failure' meanwhile, is reminiscent of Muse’s 'Starlight'.
Tangled Star are up next with some alt-country peppered with the Hammond organ and mixed with the mainstream commercial polish of Coldplay in 'Seabirdtown'. Fall Electric give us two of the most varied different songs on the compilation with 'Warm Tones' beginning life as a standard folk song before segueing off into fairground territory, leaving the end product more like The Beatles’ 'Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite' than say, 'Blackbird'. 'Faithless Friend' meanwhile, is a dark and atmospheric homage to Nirvana thanks to the grungy guitars and the borrowed lyrics from the song 'Something in the Way'.
My Majestic Star offer some mellow pop that verges on the Beatlesque while 'Like Cracked Glass' shares a few things in common with Missy Higgins’ 'Steer'. The Slow Beings provide music of a similar styling but on 'People Leave Heaven' things are pushed up a notch in the rock stakes.
Finally, saving the best until last is Toby Richardson and a name to certainly keep an eye on. With 'The Stones and the Rabbits' Richardson delivers a number that Powderfinger would be proud of. However, my pick of his songs (and indeed of this collection) is 'Booragoon Lagoon'. The track is so fun and catchy, brimming with 60s psychedelic guitars that simultaneously achieve a contemporary outlook (think Tame Impala’s first EP delivered by one bloke singing about a blue river. Brilliant).
Overall, A Million Square Miles is a pleasing and mellow offering that is easy-on-the-ear and reaffirms the fact that there is something in the water out west. Not to mention the fact that the sun beating down on Fremantle beach is one hell of an awe-inspiring sight and perfectly golden muse.
