Album Review: Stonefield - Stonefield

The Macedon Ranges outside of Melbourne isn't meant to be like this. It's meant to be about relaxing towns full of hipsters, day spas and gourmet produce markets. Instead, it's proved the unlikely birthplace for one serious rock'n'roll act in Stonefield. Cynics may roll their eyes at a family act emerging Kings Of Leon-style out of a small Victorian country town to play Glastonbury. But there's no denying these four Findlay sisters have some quality rock chops and some serious momentum behind them, their self-titled debut coming in the wake of a Foo Fighters support and news they are touring with Fleetwood Mac later this year.

Produced by Ian Davenport (Radiohead, Band Of Skulls), the sound quality on this release is light years better than most debut efforts. Powered by Amy's snarling voice and Hannah's big riffs, the band tear through openers C'mon and Love You Deserve before adding a gospel choir to ripping first single Put Your Curse On Me. These girls certainly know their way around a distortion pedal, but they have to be careful of their straight rockers being a little formulaic as tracks like To The Mountains and House Of The Lonely amble along and only really take off when the band gets creative in the bridges. It's when they are creative from the start in the slower Diggin' My Way Out and the rocking album highlight Baby Blue that we see just how good Stonefield can be.