Album Review: Mary Jane Kelly - 'Our Streets Turn White'

The name Mary Jane Kelly has been on a lot of people’s lips for the last twelve months, but for those of us that reside outside of New South Wales, we haven’t been afforded many opportunities to see what the fuss was all about.  With the release of Our Streets Turn White, this talented quartet now has the recorded output to back up their (well deserved) live reputation, so much so that I think we’re about to see the band make a rapid rise through the ranks of Australian punk and hardcore. 

After the stripped back guitar intro, which sounds heavily reminiscent of the now defunct Hopesfall, the band kicks into top gear with “Sinking Ships To Burning Cars”, a song that mixes the technical riffing of Shai Hulud with the groove that we’ve come to expect from a modern hardcore band. The clean vocals, courtesy of Val Shoukry, were a surprising but strangely welcome addition to the song as well! 

There’s no mistaking the intentions of a track that starts with the phrase, “Jesus fucking Christ”, and “Folding Seas And Lonely Deaths” most definitely delivers on its intense opening. Melodic guitars collide with break neck beats on “Worthwhile Overdose”, while the EP’s title track demonstrates the diversity in Mary Jane Kelly’s songwriting, which just leaves “I Stabbed God In The Back” to see out this fantastic debut release.

A lot of punk and hardcore bands have a somewhat limited appeal when it comes to making a grab for fans outside of the aforementioned genres, however Mary Jane Kelly have both the technical chops and live show to reach a much broader audience. Be sure to see the band on tour with The Abandonment in October and November.

1. Intro
2. Sinking Ships To Burning Cars
3. Folding Seas And Lonely Deaths
4. Worthwhile Overdose
5. Our Streets Turn White
6. I Stabbed God In The Back