The Buoys have been hovering on the sting of a correct breakthrough for years, thanks to a few robust EPs which have positioned them on the forefront of Australian alt-rock. The Sydney quartet’s first full-length is considerably overdue, particularly after personnel modifications dogged the primary half of the band’s eight-year lifespan. However The Buoys’ line-up has been regular since 2019 (founding singer/guitarist Zoe Catterall, guitarist Hilary Geddes, bassist Courtney Cunningham and drummer Tess Wilkin), and collectively they lastly ship the debut they’ve been hinting at for thus lengthy.
‘Lustre’ follows via on the fiery promise of earlier Buoys anthems like 2021’s ‘Deceive Me Once more’, particularly since Catterall’s skill to fold punchy commentary into compact, guitar-driven music has solely grown extra assured with time. The Buoys – who have been named with a transparent wink and nudge – centre the queer feminine expertise increasingly more, balancing well-earned ire with accessible songwriting. The album’s greatest monitor, ‘Topic A’, hits again on the male gaze and celebrates the empowerment of not internalising exterior judgement. Equally, the Alex Lahey co-write ‘Test Mate’ grafts a easy message about checking in with your mates to meaty, Pixies-worthy peals of guitar.
A report stocked with multi-tiered triumphs like these can be satisfying sufficient, but The Buoys make a concerted effort to develop and showcase their vary. ‘I Suppose I’m In Love With You’ is darker and grungier as Catterall describes rearranging her room in order that it doesn’t remind her of the music’s topic, whereas the lockdown-inspired ‘Borders’ evokes Camp Cope’s sharp-edged emoting. The radio-friendly ballad ‘Holding On’ is instantly adopted by a punky shout-along chorus on ‘It’s Over’ and the post-punk brooding of ‘BDSM’. Different tracks showcase softer edges that make the band really feel properly rounded.
Although Catterall has a probably simple goal within the disappointing males of ‘Topic A’, her most affecting subject material is her personal emotional turmoil. “I’m discovering some pleasure inside the entire disappointment,” she divulges as she examines grief and partnership on ‘Preserving Busy’. ‘Unstuck’ explicitly references an “existential disaster”, earlier than ‘Completely Fully Effective’ closes out the album with some winking levity: “I’ll inform her every thing labored out simply nice/However I’m mendacity.”
Nicely well worth the wait, ‘Lustre’ paints a brilliant image of the place the band would possibly go subsequent. They will not be alone in marrying of-the-moment anxieties with ’90s-style alt-rock — see their current cowl of ‘Vampire’ by Olivia Rodrigo, who’s achieved that very factor so nicely — however their dynamic vary right here proves that completely chosen phrases can hit ever tougher than a riotous guitar hook.
Particulars
- Launch date: July 12
- Document label: Sony
