Album Review: Darts - Below Empty & Westward Bound

The Pixies-high slacker rock punch that permeated Melbourne band Darts’ early sounds still casts a shadow over their debut album.

The Frank Black incursions come from front man Angus Ayres’ maniacal vocal manoeuvrings on tracks like Push You Thru and quasi-title-track Westward Bound. The angular maelstrom takes a sojourn into latter-day Modest Mouse territory from Pony Up, especially on the mariachi drumroll-led Dead. These reference points aren’t derogatory, and are countered by the languid Aeroplane (led by Ally Campbell-Smith) and laconic yet propulsive closer, My Darling Bendingo, which lend gravitas to the off-the-wall histrionics.