KarnivoolAs reported on the weekend in The Music, Perth prog-rockers Karnivool’s In Verses debuted at #1 on three ARIA charts after an absence of 13 years, and released a statement on its success.
But a further analysis of ARIA chart data shows that In Verses has become the 119th Australian album to top the main ARIA charts in the past ten years.
In Verses is their second chart topper, after Asymmetry did it the week starting July 7th, 2013. Before that, Sound Awake just missed out by peaking at #2 in 2009, while Themata only made it to #41.
That they’ve been able to make a successful return is a testament to how they’ve taken their crowd on the journey.
As they revealed in their recent feature with The Music, they tirelessly worked at throwing shapes to find new compelling sounds.
Way Out West
So with two #1 albums to their name, how do they fare with other West Australian acts in these past ten years?
Troye Sivan is the most recent, with Something To Give Each Other (week beginning October 23rd, 2023).
There was Spacey Jane’s Here Comes Everybody (4/7/22) Birds Of Tokyo’s Human Design (4/5/20), John Butler Trio’s Home (8/10/18), Tame Impala’s Currents (27/7/15) and The Waifs’ Ironbark (6/3/17).
But outside of the ten-year frame, the John Butler Trio have four in total. Their status as a formidable live act with an uber-loyal audience saw them spin Sunrise Over Sea (2004), Grand National (2007) and April Uprising (2010) debut at number one and hit platinum.
Tame Impala total two, with The Slow Rush (2020).
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
Eskimo Joe had a golden run with Black Fingernails, Red Wine (2006) and Inshalla (2009), just missing out on a third trump-card with 2004’s A Song Is A City which peaked at #2.
Folk rock outfit The Waifs had a good run from 2003, but only peaked at #2 with Sun Dirt Water, at #3 with Up All Night and Temptation, and #5 with Beautiful You.
Similarly, Birds Of Tokyo had their first #1 debut with March Fires (helped by breakthrough triple platinum single Lanterns) and repeated that with Human Design in 2020.
But they missed with Universes halting at #3 on 2008 and Birds Of Tokyo (2010) at #2.
Gyroscope’s third album Breed Obsession (2008) made the list, helped by triple j hit Snakeskin with a video shot at the English ancient rock formation Stonehenge.
Of other Aussie groups getting the penthouse view in the last ten years in the ARIA chart (which launched in 1983), 5 Seconds Of Summer leads the tally with 4, followed by The Amity Affliction and Hilltop Hoods with 3.
With two are, Parkway Drive, Midnight Oil, Lime Cordiale, Cold Chisel, Gang Of Youths, and The Teskey Brothers.
With one apiece are Ball Park Music, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Northlane, Cub Sport, Powderfinger, Polaris, The Wiggles, The Rubens.
The Smith Street Band, The Cat Empire, The Temper Trap, The Avalanches, Human Nature, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and Sticky Fingers are others with single appearances at the top.
Under My Spell
Karnivool now consolidate themselves on the list of acts that deliberately misspelled their names, and made it into the Aussie charts from the ‘60s.
The 15 best examples are:
Led Zeppelin
The Beatles
Split Enz
Korn
Def Leppard
Mi-Sex
Limp Bizkit
Mötley Crüe
Grinspoon
The Monkees
Sherbet
Linkin Park
Megadeth
The Black Crowes
Lynyrd Skynyrd
What's Next
Whether In Verses returns to the ARIA chart down the track remains to be seen. The band is planning an Australian tour in mid-winter, after its sixth visit to Mumbai, India since 2011, and Europe in April/May.
Meantime, what’s their best on-tour story? Bassist Jon Stockman noticed guitarist Drew Goddard putting in some fanciful moves onstage and hissed, “Why are you doing a big cock-rock move?”
He didn't realise that the barefooted Goddard was being electrocuted through his guitar…
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
