Album Review: The Siren Tower - A History Of Houses

Perth's The Siren Tower have been kicking round for a couple of years, making their mark here and there, but one could not expect a debut as accomplished as A History Of Houses. Constructing narratives through many eras past, the five-piece have crafted each song with a meticulous attention to detail. From the superb storytelling; warm, sentimental production (Forrester Savell showing a new level of composed delicacy), to the perfectly executed harmonies, a cappella moments and exotic, subtle instrumentation, A History Of Houses is superb.

At the forefront is the emotive voice of Grant McCulloch (that occasionally drifts towards '90s heavy-rock territory), poignant and pleasantly idiosyncratic, his storytelling vivid, moving and personal. Supported by some impressive instrumentation, the rhythmic lapses of Floods, strong hooks of The Banishing Of William McGuiness, incredible trumpet-driven introduction and conclusions to I Could Tell You Things That Would Break Your Heart, and the lush, almost psych bridge in City Of Light ensures the album doesn't get too lost in the past.

The packaging of the release is worthy of its own attention. Sharing with listeners the process and moments that led to the creation of each song, while documenting previous dwellings that have shaped the band as individuals, it is simply beautiful. The result – an extremely necessary Australian release that sits among the folk of many singer-songwriters of the past and the rock of the present, creating a lovely piece of Australiana.

A History Of Houses is a completely endearing album of genuinely world-class quality, one that paints a palpable, tangible mood and aesthetic in a way that only superbly written albums can.