Pacific Highway Music
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SKEGSS – PACIFIC HIGHWAY MUSIC – ALBUM REVIEW
The trio that was a four-piece is now a duo as Skegss release their third album, ‘Pacific Highway Music’. Whilst these changes have all been amicable, there has been a regular theme of change and storm in their now decade long existence.
That does make you wonder if the lyrics “one day I’m gonna get out of my way” in the record opening ‘Tradewinds’ is going to be something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The remaining duo are after all the two original school friends who started the whole thing – Jonny Lani (drums) and Ben Reed (vocals, guitar, bass).
As this record kicks off with strong vibes of prime Strokes, you certainly feel that if they can enter a period of consistency and stability then perhaps Skegss can become the latest Aussie export to make big waves overseas.
They have after all already had great success on home turf with their last album, ‘Rehearsal’, going one better than their debut ‘My Own Mess’ by achieving number one in the prestigious ARIA Charts.
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Recorded in iconic studios, produced and demoed alongside leading figures, and written with new freedom, ‘Pacific Highway Music’ is undoubtedly the bands most sonically ambitious and formed release to date.
The likes of ‘Spaceman’ show a real maturity whilst maintaining their playful surf rock roots. Across these eleven tracks, there are emotions, there are sun-soaked guitars, there is playful lyricism and there is a sense of unshackling the past and looking to the future.
What this album lacks in terms of potency when compared to fellow exports The Chats and Amyl and the Sniffers, it makes up with its honest charm. Less the album to mosh to in the pub, more the record to chill out to on the beach with afterwards!
There is clearly something about Skegss, they wouldn’t have made it this far if there wasn’t. Perhaps now though it’s time for them to get out of their own way in order to realise their full potential.
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