If The Wombats and The Vanns had a baby, they might sound a little something like Old Mervs. Coming out of Western Australia, Dave House & Henry Carrington-Jones are leading the surf-rock renaissance with a sound that’s much bigger and more addictive than any duo has the right to create. With the release of their debut EP Get Better today, it’s time for the nation to realise just how good these guys are.
I’ve spent a solid week just listening to this EP and I still can’t get enough. These songs are so good, with self-reflective lyrics fuelled by the lads finishing high school and figuring our what comes next coupled with a big rock sound that goes down easy. They’re accessible and irresistibly catchy, hooking you from the opening drum notes of “Where I Go”. I found myself singing along with the choruses from the get go, and when the final guitar chords of the slow-burning closer “How I Met Your Mother” faded away I couldn’t wait to press play again. All these songs were new to me, but before long they felt like old friends. It feels mean to single any out because they’re all new favourites. And besides, this music is better felt and experienced than analysed. Just turn it on and turn that volume up.
Get Better is out now. Do yourself a favour and get around it, because it’s stellar.
Images used with permission from beehive