Album Review: Mosman Alder - Humdrum Star

Humdrum Star is, put simply, an amalgamation of the exotic and the familiar. Whereas opening track Golden Archers evokes eastern European winters, much of the rest of the album – the brilliant Germland (Of Julien Charbonneau) as an example – strongly resemble the distinctly Australian sound of The Church.

Likewise, the jangly guitars that layer the melodic Prized Paradise channel The Go-Betweens, and help make this debut record from Brisbane group Mosman Alder one of the finds of the year. Producer Paul Dempsey leaves an undeniable fingerprint or two over the sound, accentuating the craftsmanship of the band members themselves.