If Indie-Folk is your genre of choice or if you wanna know what the ‘soundtrack of sunsets in Outback Australia’ (coined by Dom Alessio) sounds like, then The Peeks is your band.
If you need a little more convincing then have a read of what the band describes their sound as: “The first born child of Fleet Foxes & Crowded House married Local Natives, then had an illegitimate son with James Vincent McMorrow’s daughter Ben Howard, whom went on to work in Bon Iver’s fine dining restaurant that was later accused of food-poisoning Band of Horses.”
Fraser Henry (Vocals, Guitar), Hamish Hudson (Percussion) and Sean Conolly (Bass, Keys) make up the Melbourne trio and they released their first single, Moving Pictures in 2015 and will be coming out with their debut album, Grow Up/Grown Down in July 22, 2016.
I had the privilege of listening to their new single, Wanaka, and it is absolutely breathtaking.
The first thing you hear when you listen to Wanaka is Henry’s entrancing voice. Then the guitar softly strums in. Then you know you’re in for a ride…or an adventure because that’s what you feel like going on while you listen to this earthy and captivating tune.
Wanaka is hypnotising, seeping with calm vibes that evokes a strong sense of wanderlust.
You would never have guessed that the song is about a lonely woman with an insatiable sweet tooth.
David Kahne, accomplished producer for The Rubens and Lana Del Rey, remarks Wanaka as “super new country. Effortless singing…sounds like [Henry] lives halfway between Memphis and Nashville.”
The band labels the concept of Grow Up/Grown Down as having a common theme – finding one’s purpose and taking that next step.
Henry describes the album as, “A sonically refreshing mix of folk tunes with eclectic sounds wrapped around quirky & whimsical stories. A unique & true reflection of our take on music. A place for us to live.” Grow Up/Grown Down follows the success of their single Don’t Tell Your Mama featuring Anabelle Kay and features a broad and unique creative sound scape, as well as Henry’s introspective song writing.
To celebrate the album’s release, The Peeks will be kicking off their full album tour in Melbourne at Ding Dong Lounge on July 30.
Positives:
- Captivating song/album.
- Sounds that permeate with emotions.
- Loop-able (you can put these songs on loop for hours and not get tired of it).
- Great for a relaxing afternoon.
Negatives:
- As Indie-Folk music go, it doesn’t stand out as much and is pretty standard.
Rating: 8/10
Let us know what you think of Wanaka and the Peeks by commenting below!
– Written by Patricia “Patty” Tamayo
