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No Through RoadLo-Fi Sandwich Independent His musical efforts have been prolific but inconsistent, and his promotional efforts have been at best negligent, but Matt Banham is likely to make quite an impact on Adelaide's suddenly burgeoning musical export scene this year. Then again, he could fade into obscurity; and that would be a tragic outcome given his stature as one of the most talented songwriters in this town. Banham is the kind of artist whose strengths are also his weaknesses. His (mostly authentic) self-appreciation enables him to put on incredible performances in even the most lacklustre of venues, but also encourages him to present himself in a manner others may find unamusing. His lo-fi ethic, being that mistakes can serve to humanise the material, enables him to constantly release full-length albums, however their inconsistent sonic quality prevents him from gaining the reputation he deserves. 'Lo-Fi Sandwich' is a download-only (www.nothroughroad.com) album that serves as a product of Banham's impatience, having gone (gasp!) twelve months without recording. It offers us the chance to hear some brilliant material, like the electronically tinged Motorways, the heavily organic beat-box sing-along Peak/Ridge, the marvellously incongruous Sonic Youth wall-of-noise Touch You, and the should-be-epic closer That Moment. In fact, most of these songs, despite occasionally haphazard arrangements, are great, perfectly epitomising Banham's Bright Eyes-esque vocal quaver and Smog-influenced creative ingenuity. However, of course, his strengths are also his weaknesses. These songs are great, but their potential is far greater. And whilst Banham's exuberant yet distressing persona works perfectly in this lo-fi format, his songs can actually be too good for their performance (and that's a compliment). This is an official precursor to next year's proper 'hi-fi' album; it has the potential either to make him a star or to be just another in Adelaide's long history of hit records that never were.  |
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