The Smith Street Band Take Top-Three Honours In Carlton Dry Indie Charts

Ascendant Victorian punk outfit The Smith Street Band have taken out the highest-placing debut on this week's Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts, with the rambunctious rockers earning the #3 spot on the Albums Chart for third studio full-length Throw Me In The River.

The lads were far and away the strongest new entrants of the week, with Hand Of Mercy's Resolve stepping out at #6 and veteran country man Lee Kernaghan demonstrating he's still got it by taking out #7 with newest LP Driving Home For Christmas. Stalwart rock troupe King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard also make a top-20 debut this week, with I'm In Your Mind Fuzz claiming #19 on entry.

The strong performance from The Smith Street Band isn't quite enough to totally upset the top two albums, which jostle among themselves to see Hilltop Hoods' Walking Under Stars reclaim pole position and Flight Facilities' Down To Earth drop marginally to #2.

Similarly, Missy Higgins (Oz) and Jimmy Barnes (30:30 Hindsight) hang tough to occupy #4 and #5 respectively. We also see a re-entry from the workhorse-like Dan Sultan, whose acclaimed full-length Blackbird is back on the ladder, at #11, as well as from the ubiquitous Hilltops; their Drinking From The Sun LP has re-appeared at #17.

It was a far more sedate week in the singles stakes, where the sole debutant comes in the form of Bombs Away and their fresh cut Bassline Maniacs, featuring Peep This and Bounce Inc. Otherwise, the rankings remain par for the recent course, with Timmy Trumpet's Freaks atop the pile of familiar faces for yet another week; Trumpet, Hilltop Hoods, Sheppard, Vance Joy, Flight Facilities, and Peking Duk all boast multiple entries on the ladder.