Mid-State Orange
Odds
Candle


In the last 12 months, it seems that many bands who live in the realm of pop have taken a big step up (The Grates, The Zutons). Mid-State Orange is one of these bands that are unafraid to release glorious and unashamed pop music. Knowing that vocalist/guitarist Louis Richter has also guitared for The Lucksmiths, I was expecting that 'Odds' would fit generally within the mould of this artist.

Sometimes it's great to be wrong. Yes, Mid-State Orange are indie pop, but their sound veers all over the place. The angular guitar and endless soloing of Second In A Two-Horse Race sounds closer to Sonic Youth than just being another Melbourne acoustic pop band. The fuzz pop melody, chugging guitars and Australian-accented vocals of Seven-Thirty bring back fond memories of The Fauves. The album highlight would have to be the dizzy pop of Best Intentions, which opens with gorgeous Hammond organ sounds that are underpinned with a fast, but damn catchy, melody. And when the chorus springs up, you hear a vocal attitude and phrasing that harks back to The Police.

Most moments of 'Odds' work well; some don't make sense (starting an album with a slow electronic instrumental that sounds like an outro) and their attempts to veer into melancholy just end up sounding boring (Pathways and Cracks [Evolutionary Psychology 101]). However, if Mid-State Orange stick with writing catchy pop songs they could end up one of the brightest stars to be seen in the Candle Records galaxy.

Scott Berry