Bit By Bats
Go Go Go!
Shiny



It's about time for a full length from Bit By Bats; the post-punk trio have been around a while, and have certainly garnered their fair share of praise both for their live shows and for their EPs. 'Go Go Go!' doesn't disappoint, either; a short, sharp package of 12 songs in just 40 minutes that seethe with frenzied energy and display an impressive knack for melody. In a genre that has all too rapidly become tired after its resurgence into popularity a few years ago, Bit By Bats are a breath of fresh air.

A big part of the appeal is Owen Eszeki's voice. He's undoubtedly one of the most interesting and charismatic vocalists in Australia right now and is nothing short of utterly compelling - he switches effortlessly between a croon and an impassioned yelp at a moment's notice. Similarly, Peter Gravestock's bass playing demands attention right from the minute the album kicks off but it's the album's acidic rawness that proves its greatest hook.

There's a feeling of conviction in Bit By Bats' music that is so raw and just can't be ignored. It's not only present in the more frantic songs - She Was Venezuela drifts along at a fairly dreamy pace, yet somehow manages to still have an air of danger. Yet it's in the songs where the band lets go completely, such as on the title track and on Let's Go Heart Attack, that the album feels most accomplished. When it does hit those heights, well, it's hard to imagine a more intoxicating debut coming out of Australia this year. Sure, there's the odd flat moment where the band seems constrained but there's a magnetism to 'Go Go Go!' that reaches well beyond its flaws, and that's pretty damned special.

Alistair Wallis