The S-Bends - Nothing Feels Natural To Me

As we approach the end of the year we start working on our list of favorite albums. But inevitably new albums punch their way on to the list in the final month. It is almost as if the artists have no respect for our crowded calendar of holiday parties. However, when an album reminds us of Dick Diver, Ocean Party, The Go-Betweens, Paul Kelly and The Goon Sax, well, what choice do we have.

So, welcome to Nothing Feels Natural To Me, the debut album by Sydney's The S-Bends. If you are expecting yet another slacker pop album, you will be pleasantly corrected. This set of songs truly earns the above references with crisp playing, spacious arrangements, assured songwriting, and affecting storytelling. Some of the tunes have all the bounce of a New Zealand guitar pop band, and we've streamed three of them below -- think, perhaps, of Ocean Party and Boomgates performing a tribute for The Bats. but the moody, slower tempo wonders such as "Datsun", "Kilroy", and "Two States" more than earn their place on the album. And as good as the album is out of the box, it manages to grow on the listener with repeated plays. Our first listen earned votes for this feature. Our second listen brought a place on our provisional year-end list. At this point, it is a likely top 20.

The S-Bends are Jacob Dawson-Daley, Madeleine Er, Samuel McEwen, Mitchell Ryan, and Andrew Zic. Nothing Feels Natural To Me is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Stable Label.







Facebook
Bandcamp for album