2016's Hills End saw the Aussie alt-rockers delivering an expertly crafted debut that did little to hide their affection for all things
Oasis. With the brothers
Gallagher relegated to the back seat, the lads from Sydney are beginning to explore other Brit-pop avenues on their sophomore effort,
For Now, beginning with the baggy grooves of
Inspiral Carpets,
the Charlatans, and
Happy Mondays, which serve as the foundation for the bustling title track -- you can almost hear
Shaun Ryder's melon getting twisted. Elsewhere, the soaring follow-up "Dawning" looks to jangle pop for a lift, invoking
the La's by way of the
Lightning Seeds, while "In the Air" pairs the chorus pedal-driven shoegaze of
Cocteau Twins with the trad rock balladry of
Keane, and the brooding "Break Me" brings the vehicle back around to (What's the Story) Morning Glory? territory. ~ James Christopher Monger