The one thing that 2018 could not take from us is the pure joy of a pop song. And yes, there were bigger ones, more emotional ones, but with “Talking Straight,” RBCF provided us with a song that felt so perfectly fleeting that it was incomparable in terms of pure indie-rock pleasure. “Talking Straight” is the sound of ’70s and ’80s FM Aussie-pop distilled to its purest form, an expertly-crafted geode of a song that sounds readymade for blaring over the radio. But the band’s attraction lies in their veracity. For all its hooks, the song feels incredibly whole, full of hard-panned riffs and stratospheric harmonizing. It’s akin to world-building, in a way, all the song’s small details adding up to make it feel bigger than it really is. RBCF’s songwriting tricks you into thinking it’s effortless, which is something we all needed this year.
RBCF’s first proper full-length album is a fun run of 10 tracks, skillfully crafted by a young quintet of Aussies. Following two beachy EPs (Talk Tight, The French Press) the band treads similar territory sonically (think: jangly, catchy rock n roll), while leaning into some heavier themes. Masked by buoyant melodies, hooks aplenty, thumping rhythms, and thoughtful harmonies, lyrics like these (from “Bellarine”): “Cool air off northern “water, two years since I’ve seen my daughter. The fish are biting every line but mine…seems like rum is taking all my time,” show a written wisdom that adds depth to these summer-tinged jams and a reason to hit play any damn time of the year.
‘Hope Downs’ (Release Day: June 15, 2018)
The Fat Angel Sings 