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Album Review

The Lucksmiths
First Frost Fortuna Pop!

Article written by Ged M - Jan 25, 2009

The Lucksmiths: First Frost

After 15 years and 11 albums, the Lucksmiths are finally getting credit in their own country, making the inflight playlist of the national airline last year. First Frost ought to win them further Qantas endorsements too, the jangly, romantic, literate pop music (who else would credit John Steinbeck on ‘Song of the Undersea’?) being just the thing to charm even the most flight-phobic traveller.

If there’s a crossroads in the town called ‘indiepop’, the Lucksmiths live right on the junction where all four lanes connect: there are clear echoes in First Frost of the lovelorn guitar thrash of the Wedding Present, the melodic chime of the Go-Betweens, the mordant romanticism of Belle & Sebastian and the wry humour of the Smiths. ‘Up With the Sun’ has all these features, a cocktail of fine melodies and slightly off centre riffs and runs, and is utterly addictive – it’s Tali White’s only writing credit but it’s a classic. The Lucksmiths’s lyrics are witty but are striking for their lack of anger or conflict; there are plenty of tales of remorseful romantic gestures but they’re all beautifully controlled; ‘The National Mitten Registry’ has the twee-est title but ends with the life-affirming statement “fingers crossed/ all is not lost”. Taking it up a notch, ‘A Sobering Thought (Just When I Needed It)’ is a seductive tale of a night spend going off the rails, all set to a tartan-wristbanded glam-rock beat.

It’s a pleasure trove of sharply crafted songs, full of melodies and smart lyrics, exploding like sherbet on your tongue in a sweet jingle-jangle of indiepop sensation. This might be the record when the Lucksmiths take off.

Links:
http://www.thelucksmiths.com.au/
http://www.fortunapop.com/artists/lucksmiths/index.html
http://www.myspace.com/lucksmiths