The Open Season
Before We Start
Pee/Reverberation


With their second disc, the five-track EP 'Before We Start', The Open Season again prove themselves to be worthy of more than local status, as they continue on their merry way producing music that stands out from the ever-burgeoning punk/hardcore scene as easily some of the best rock Adelaide has to offer. It is by no means earth-shattering; it's not even that much of a step up from their first disc, 2005's 'Chase'. It does, however, bear all the hallmarks of a band ready to jump onto the national stage.

The Open Season have shrugged off the emo clichˇs that plagued some of 'Chase', and without those paltry screams they sound even more confident. 'Before We Start' neatly reflects more recent trends in Australian rock - Gyroscope, After The Fall, et al - and is pulled off with a well-versed maturity. The songs aren't as catchy as before - there's nothing anywhere near as exhilarating as Never Forget here - but they're tighter, more assured. Blinded By Tradition is pretty typical fare, but doesn't wander as Never Forget did in its last coda; The Sun From Both Sides nicely plays with dynamics to brilliant effect; What Is Real's piano outro is genius; and closer Jimmy Hats is one of the best songs the band has penned, structurally interesting and driven by an uplifting gang vocal. The Open Season blend riveting guitar lines, forceful dynamics and straight-up honesty into a cohesive whole, with singer Steve McGrath's unashamedly Australian accent shining through on every track, which only goes further towards putting an A-Town stamp of pride across the band's work. Onwards and upwards, I say, onwards and upwards!

Matt Vesely