Live Review: Babaganoüj, Ghost Talk

Local trio Ghost Talk harked back to the glory days of early Australian garage rock. While the frontman's Les Paul, fed through an impressive array of pedals, was occasionally drowned out by the dark bass tones, their set was fresh and full of dense grooves. A highlight was Over There, which boasted a slinky swung ska feel and a Living End-ish rockabilly chorus, which stood out but didn't feel out of place in the garage-psych set. Towards the end, a cover of Fatboy Slim's Weapon Of Choice was an unexpected treat. The band announced this would be their last show for a while as they focus on writing and recording, but this short set left a lasting impression.

Babaganoüj, the Brisbane quartet made up of two Go Violets, a Yves Klein Blue and a Inland Sea (three pretty terrific bands in their own right) followed, commanding the World Bar's tiny stage. A healthy mix of '90s alt-pop with some '80s twee thrown in for good measure, the band's full, gutsy power-pop sound kicks a fair bit of arse, especially live. Each irresistible hook was delivered with punchy guitars and sweet boy-girl harmonies which called to mind bands like Smudge and The Hummingbirds. A new tune, with the catchy refrain, “I can't stop thinking about you” showed growing maturity, and the band's stellar new single Too Late For Love might be the song to beat for 2014. As band members dodged balloons thrown and kicked around by an enthusiastic crowd, they churned out vibrant pop-rock gems with ease and style.