Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs are the “Oh” and the “Pep!” in this Melbourne band. They write mostly upbeat music filled with questions about desire and life’s priorities and considerations. Their pop sensibilities offer more twists and turns than the usual “verse/chorus” formula, but there are still big, catchy hooks. It’s just that those hooks seem to happen after you’ve taken a journey through a story, so the hook sinks much deeper and offers a kind of emotional relief.
Hally and Emmerichs have been making music since secondary school; they’re now both 24. The band’s use of fiddle, mandolin and harmonies are refreshingly original.
Stadium Cake is Oh Pep!’s debut album, recorded in Nova Scotia. Each of the duo’s previous three EPs is a progression into ever more complex songwriting and intricate playing. They’re funny at times, and they can be thoughtful and thought-provoking, sometimes in the same song. Stadium Cake expands on Hally and Emmerichs‘ talents, to the point where it surprised me how detailed and intricate they are as both players and listeners. I’ve come to find new favorites, though “Doctor Doctor” and “The Race” were the standouts. Put this on repeat, and by the time you stop, phrases like, “I know what I want and it’s not what I need” may be part of your own personal soundtrack.
Crazy Feels is taken from Oh Pep!’s debut album “Stadium Cake”
The Fat Angel Sings 