Cairns quartet The Medics have built up a steady following and reputation for their epic indie rock. Now they have delivered an assured and confident debut record in Foundations.
Clearly they have a penchant for the epic, which also plays into each member’s strong musicianship. Further highlighting this is the husky and soaring vocals of Kahl Wallace. The smoky quality in Wallace’s voice certainly adds to the emotional aspect that’s present in The Medics’ songwriting.
Opener ‘Beggars’ introduces the record perfectly, highlighting the group’s rhythmic strength as well as demonstrating their ability to play with dynamics. ‘Golden Bear’ showcases drummer Jhindu Lawrie’s feel for syncopated rhythms, while the track perfectly encapsulates the feel throughout the whole record, epic and emotional.
While this is a strong debut, nothing in particular grabs your attention. It’s a nice listen from start to finish, however, it feels as if there is something slightly missing from drawing you back for another listen, perhaps a lack of diversity.
The Medics’ debut not only shows confidence in their songwriting but also room for them to further develop, with the strength of this debut it’s hopefully a taste of things to come
– Gabe Andrews
