Smile Pascoe Vale

Melbourne slacker band SMILE released their debut album a couple of months back, and in true slacker style I'm only just getting around to reviewing it now. Recorded by Rat & Co's Josh Delaney (also a member of SMILE), Life Choices was pieced together in a large farm shed in the country just out of Melbourne. What follows is an album full of lazy slow burners and honest, heartfelt songwriting.

Including the single "Born Again" (which we enjoyed earlier this year), Life Choices (available on Bandcamp) revolves around the band member's lives, giving it a really lovely, personable feel. Focus track "Pascoe Vale," for example, was written about band leader Pete Baxter's trip to a Melbourne suburb to buy a pair of hexagonal Ray-Bans he found online -- as simple as that. Baxter's drawling vocals are paired with drifting, elongated guitar riffs, topped off by Max Turner's surging solo work towards the song's finish.

In a cruel twist of fate, I'll be away when the Melbourne-based five-piece plays in my hometown of Sydney (I'll be in Melbourne!). If any Sydney-siders are reading this, make sure to get along to their show on Saturday October 26 at the Brighton Up Bar (RSVP here) -- I'll be there in spirit!