Just two years after Melbourne’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever released their debut LP Hope Downs, it’s hard to believe they could top it. But they have.
Appreciated by not just the local music community, but the world at large, the five-piece have a knack for guitar romance with a twist of textured, jangly folk. Now, on Sideways To New Italy, all bets are off and this is their career signpost moment.
While ‘In The Capital’ and ‘Read My Mind’ served as a standalone release, new singles began to appear in 2020, serving as the first taste of their new record. Though plans to tour (and support alt-rock icons the Pixies) were disrupted thanks to a global pandemic, the group have now finally found themselves some time to rest, coinciding with the release of this new record.
Rolling Stone gave the LP 4 out of 5 stars and called it “a perfect summertime indie-rock record”.
“With three guitarists who all write songs, Rolling Blackouts’ music could feel cluttered or disconnected, but it never does.” wrote Rolling Stone‘s Jon Dolan.” The band is in love with the hypnotic rush of a nice sunny jangle, but they never settle for catchy drones.”
Stream the record below and you’ll understand why the staff here at Tone Deaf love it so much.
Check out Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s Sideways To New Italy:
Speaking to Rolling Stone Australia, vocalist and guitarist Joe White said the band started recording their second album as soon as they wrapped up touring in August last year.
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“Having all that time, that allotted three days a week or whatever it was, meant that we kind of spent every waking hour thinking about the record and thinking about songs and trying to make them as good as possible,” said White.
“There were a few songs we put a lot of time into that didn’t make it onto the record. But yeah, we didn’t really give ourselves any time to stop.”
