Album Review: Children Collide – Monument

“Originality is nothing but judicious imitation”, said one famous witty Frenchman many moons ago. True enough statement, but where does that leave art? Well, if you're as opinionated as I am, you may just argue that it really doesn't matter. With Monument, Children Collide have created an album that is derivative as any other (as you will see from the mess of upcoming name-drops, the bastion of any self-respecting music journalist), but it really doesn't change the fact that this a truly great album, and an early runner for best Australian record this year.

The trio have truly worn their inspiration on their sleeve with their third album. It sees the sound that was hinted at on their previous albums develop into an eclectic smorgasbord. The Flat Earth opens the gate with a steady flow of distortion and Pink Floyd vocals, followed up by hyped single Sword To A Gunfight. It's when Black Lemon hits that the album really opens up, though. Opening with muted church-hall guitar and snappy-as-hell crashes (thanks Woody Annison), it revels in the slack shoegaziness of The Stone Roses and Suede. Prussian Blue throws out all sorts of '90s indie nostalgia. My Heart Came Alive is a true standout, evolving the post-punk sound that was clued at in Social Currency and Jellylegs. The second half, then, goes on a fascinating tangent; playing around with synths, vocoders and studio trickery, the guys found some truly awesome ground between The Horrors, Bedhead and, dare I say it, Art Vs. Science, before Terrible Lizard brings it home with an incredible post-rock noise jam.

Who cares about that old wanky originality argument when you've got music as good as this?