21st Century Music: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
21st Century Music are playlists and profiles that focus on artists that have released their music since 2000. These highlight new(er) acts that continue the sound and spirit of the older acts that are the focus of Ceremony. Click on the streaming service of your choice below to listen to the playlist as you read along.
After recently writing about two of my three favourite bands of the past year, The Beths and The Big Moon, it made sense to also get into the third, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, this band elevated their status in my world after I saw them in concert in the summer of 2022. Indeed, one of the common elements in these three acts has been how their live performances elevated my appreciation of their music. They’re also all power pop acts with driving guitars, melodic hooks, and strong harmonies. This seems to be the sound I’ve needed over the past year.
I had been a fan of RBCF’s earlier albums, with “Clean Slate” and “Talking Straight” being two of my favourite tracks of the prior few years. I’d easily marked them as a ‘band to see,’ but because of the pandemic it took a while but was worth the wait. They delivered one of the best shows I’ve seen over the past five years, and the encore, a lengthy and exhilarating, “French Press,” was one of the more exultant moments in my concert going career.
RBCF’s music is entrancing thanks to a lively mix of three guitars, multiple vocalists, and thick, groovy basslines. Evolving from a quick, jangly sound in their early EPs to a more polished, thickly layered vibe in their recent LPs, the band tends to excel at fast paced, punky pop that rides the undulating bass and allows wonderful guitar interplay to drive the tunes. When they slow things down the results are less even and are hampered by not having a strong vocalist, which is less of an issue when blended with the three-guitar assault. Spoken vocals are often employed, in a true, contemporary post-punk fashion.
It was the three guitarists that formed the group in 2013. Cousins Joe White and Fran Keaney joined with their friend, Tom Russo. His brother, Joe Russo was added followed by Fran’s drummer housemate, Marcel Tussie. Originally calling themselves Rolling Blackouts, as their profile grew they ran into conflicts with other acts of the same name (does Australia have a lousy electric grid?). Coastal Fever was added in reference to a virus that a band member had while in Cambodia. The result was a mouthful of a band name, one I always find tricky to remember correctly, and that my wife has given up trying to recall.
Rolling Blackouts C.F. (L to R): Fran Keaney (guitar/vocals), Joe White (guitar/vocals), Joe Russo (bass), Marcel Tussie (drums), and Tom Russo (guitar/vocals)
Their first release didn’t come until 2016 with the Talk Tight EP, a wonderful, seven song collection over twenty-nine minutes that included the driving, jangly, and incredibly catchy, “Clean Slate.” It was issued on Sydney based label, Ivy League.
It was followed the next year by another EP, The French Press, which delivered another collection of six undeniably catchy and entrancing tracks. The title track, similar to “Clean Slate,” built to a wonderful segment of guitar interplay that helped stamp the band’s sonic brand. This time, instead of a driving, edgy bassline there featured a thick, rolling groove that got the hips swaying. US distribution this time came via the legendary indie label, Sub Pop, which helped increase the band’s profile.
Three albums have since evolved the band’s sound while remaining true to the signature style of quick driving rave-ups. Harmonies or differing lead vocals offer some variety, but the real nuances are in the differing styles of the axemen. Fran is usually on an acoustic, providing a lovely strumming foundation, while Joe typically provides the rockier, electric chords, all of which play off Tom’s jangly, picking styles also on electric. Seeing them work these styles around each other, in a line at the front of the stage, is simply wonderful both audibly and visually.
The band invariably sets-up their stage with the three guitarists/vocalists across the front left to right, Joe W., Fran, and Tom, with brother Joe roaming behind Tom on bass and in front of Marcel on drums. It works well for when the three start trading off on their guitar-play and taking turns on lead vocals.
Hope Downs was a great debut album, but Sideways to New Italy was where their sound reached a polished consistency to achieve their strongest release, start to finish. Unable to tour Sideways due to the pandemic, and in Australia under some of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the band gathered in a rural retreat (the house featured on the album cover) for a project that sought to expand and evolve their sound. The result was Endless Rooms, a solid LP but one that lacked the consistency and engaging elements of their prior releases. Regardless, they continued to churn out one or two higher order tracks on each release, with “Talking Straight,” “Falling Thunder,” and “Cars in Space” joining their top tier along with “Clean Slate” and “French Press.”
I eagerly look forward to what the band has for us next, and in particular the chance to see them perform again. Few acts that I’ve seen have been able to repeat an initial experience for me, especially when that first take was unexpected and elevated my reaction. So, I’ll manage my expectations, but will be no less eager to see those three guitars cast their spell on me.
The Playlist - “song” \ album (year)
“Wither With You” \ Talk Tight EP (2016)
“Wide Eyes” \ Talk Tight EP (2016)
“Clean Slate” \ Talk Tight EP (2016)
“French Press” \ The French Press EP (2017)
“Julie’s Place” \ The French Press EP (2017)
“An Air Conditioned Man” \ Hope Downs (2018)
“Talking Straight” \ Hope Downs (2018)
“Mainland” \ Hope Downs (2018)
“How Long?” \ Hope Downs (2018)
“The Second of the First” \ Sideways to New Italy (2020)
“Falling Thunder” \ Sideways to New Italy (2020)
“The Only One” \ Sideways to New Italy (2020)
“Cars in Space” \ Sideways to New Italy (2020)
“The Cool Change” \ Sideways to New Italy (2020)
“The Way It Shatters” \ Endless Rooms (2022)
“Blue Eye Lake” \ Endless Rooms (2022)
“Vanishing Dots” \ Endless Rooms (2022)
“Bounce Off the Bottom” \ Endless Rooms (2022)
