SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ANGUS & JULIA STONE – KARAOKE BAR

ANGUS & JULIA STONE
KARAOKE BAR
VIRGIN MUSIC

Angus & Julia Stone formed their musical partnership in 2006, and Karaoke Bar is their sixth studio album. The siblings hail from Australia, and in their native country they have had several top 10 albums, with a couple hitting number one. All that to say, Angus & Julia Stone have carved out their own distinct career and style. Musically, there are aspects of Gorillaz, Of Monsters And Men, and The Head And The Heart. That is not to say that Angus & Julia Stone are unoriginal, because the opposite is true. They do have their own sound, and their use of vocals are outstanding.

A song like “Brightest Place” has a great deal going on in the song and the duo takes the listener on various trips in a little over three minutes. And that is what makes the duo and the album so great. They take aspects of their influences and take the listener in many directions. There is no way to predict the next sound, until it is pouring out of the speakers. A song such as “Celestial Bodies,” with that title, one expects an almost ambient song, but the duo takes you on the dance floor with that song.

Then there are melancholic songs, like “Take Me Back to Japan,” which is melodic, beautiful and taps into Electric Light Orchestra. It works perfectly. “Mexico City” has the same feeling and message (that of longing) but sounds very different from “Take Me Back To Japan.” Both songs tug at the heartstrings but in very different ways. Throw “Cowgirls Lover Boi” into the mix, with an element of dark humour, and you can get an idea of the trips on which this album can take the listener.

Karaoke Bar is the sound of a duo stretching and exploring. And it works. They are not afraid to take chances or let the music take them in very different directions. Their vocals are the constant across all of the songs on the album. They compliment each other perfectly and often trade off one and another during the song. They are gifted songwriters, with the lyrics and music a perfect combination which makes for an interesting and enjoyable album.

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