For the last twenty-nine years, The Cannanes have been called “Australia's secret pride” and “the world's most indie band” because they've become a respected name and institution on the power of world of mouth. In the span of their career, the band has made its own way and its own fate without employing a manager or an agent, nor have they ever had a recording deal – they've built an impressive name with some great songs, a good live show and an intoxicating urban mythology about a “little band that could.” It sounds overly simplistic when you spell it out that way, but that's been pretty much how it has gone for The Cannanes; those who can't (or won't) believe it are invited to watch them do it all over again with the Small Batch EP – touted as being the first official release of new music in eleven years (ignoring the Grassy Flat EP which appeared in 2008).
With the announcement that this release marks the end of a wait exceeding ten years, that “Bumper” wastes no time and just sort of starts the proceedings off without any musical build up is almost comical, but it turns perfect when the “tried and true” chord progression, sweet and genuinely innocent vocal melody and spare backing outside of Stephen O'Neil's guitar (there are drum, bass and a flute, but it's all pretty needs-first) just hook listeners because all of it just seems so ready to please. There's no way to deny “Bumper,” because doing so would be like kicking a puppy or screaming obscenities at a kindergarten class; doing so would cause others to seriously question your decency as a person. As the band tries to decide if they really should try to make a comeback (what else could lines like “is it worth another try?/ My friends don't think so/ Is it worth another try?/ Even you don't think so/ But let's go back/ Why can't we go back?” be about?), listeners will feel their hearts melting for the band because hearing this kind of candor and the sweetness with which Frances Gibson offers it to listeners just feels so good and so true that it's impossible not to go along, happily. The glow left on listeners from “Bumper” will still feel pretty warm as “Basics” comes along with a sort of clanking, twilight backdrop which contrasts the brightness of Gibson's voice beautifully before “Molecule” and “Tiny Compartment” bound back to the kindergarten playground to collect some more sunshine to share with and spread on listeners. In each of those cases, The Cannanes flounce along joyfully as they tap a pure, sweet and genuinely joyous spring that many people have in them, but it is seldom touched in so honest a way as it is here. The joy that listeners will feel at the experience the first time they hear it is what will keep them listening to Small Batch over and over again. It just feels good to do it.
Artist:
www.cannanes.com/
www.myspace.com/cannanes
www.facebook.com/Cannanes
www.twitter.com/cannanes
Download:
The Cannanes – Small Batch – "Bumper" – [mp3]
The Cannanes – Small Batch – "Crawler" – [mp3]
Album:
The Small Batch EP will be released on March 19, 2013 by exro.FM/Lamingtone. It is not yet available for pre-order on Amazon, but keep watch on The Cannanes' website here for when it becomes available to purchase directly from the band!
