Album Review: Slowly Slowly - St Leonards

Melbourne's Slowly Slowly encapsulate originality and authenticity with their second release St Leonards.

From the first notes ringing through opener Dinosaurs there is a heavenly contrast between melancholic lyrics and soft, sweet musical accompaniment - a mix that makes each track honest and relatable. The effortless vocal style of Ben Stewart is genuine and unapologetic, allowing the eloquent poetry in songs like Ten Leaf Clover ("Just when I thought it's all over/I found myself a ten leaf clover") to shine through without distraction from any vocal runs or overbearing melodies.

The title track carries a simple four-chord underneath quirky lines ("Sticky hands from ice-cream drips will make nirvana for the ants"). Grungy, dark tunes like Smile Lines illustrate the relentless ebb and flow of life itself. Tears are guaranteed as the album draws to a close with penultimate heartbreak track Song For Shae ("You were confident and beautiful/A shining little light/And something tells me that you're watching over everyone tonight") laying Stewart's bleeding heart out on his sleeve. Poetic metaphors are surrounded, but not overshadowed, by crashing guitar and anthemic choruses in this technicolour view of one's place in the world.