Since the Bee Gees, sibling power bands have become a trend on the music scene. Kings of Leon and Haim exhibit this, and now we’re blessed with the four Findlay sisters from Melbourne that form Stonefield.
After being crowned the Triple J Unearthed High winners in 2010, Stonefield have continued their hard rock ways with their self-titled debut Stonefield. The release echoes rock predecessors like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin (especially in ‘C’mon’), resulting in some powerful anthems like ‘Put Your Curse On Me’ and ‘Love You Deserve’. However the tracks above are just a taste of a rock formula that Stonefield unfortunately follow too strictly.
Stonefield are bona fide rockers, however some of their best work is shown in later tracks where the tempo is slower and more creative riffs evolve. Songs like, ‘Diggin’ My Way Out’ and ‘House Of The Lonely’ display Stevie Nicks influences, while the absolute gem ‘Keep On Rollin’’ builds into a cataclysmic power ballad alongside crystal clear vocals as Amy Findlay sings regretfully, “My troubles roll like water, here they come”.
The sound quality is immediately evident with the help of producer Ian Davenport (Radiohead). Hannah Findlay’s killer guitar riffs, the crashing drums, and Amy’s crisp voice are scintillating. Distortion and reverberating guitars are a common feature, and in ‘Put Your Curse On Me’ a random gospel choir that seems misplaced appears as Amy screams, “Put your curse on me baby and set me free”.
Stonefield is a strong debut, however it relies too much on the standard rock formula. The tracks that deviate from this are more creative and provide a real insight for Stonefield to grow as a powerful Australian band.
