Hailing from Melbourne, Number Station have generated some buzz in their homeland from the six songs they have released so far. Each time a new single comes out, they out-do themselves when they release a follow-up. So it’s no surprise that they are previous winners of Triple J Unearthed and have already performed at major festivals such as Homebake and Come Together. Their debut five song EP Everything Will Change came out in mid-2012 and they have just put out their stellar new single “End of the World”. And now the buzz from Australia is making it’s way over to America.
Number Station mine the melodically sweet sounds similar to The Temper Trap (QRO live review) and Two Door Cinema Club (QRO live review), and frontman Chris Andrews sounds very similar to Andy Yorke (from Unbelievable Truth and the brother of Thom) or Gary Briggs (of Haven and Freebass). They also are reminiscent of some of the bands in the Brit-pop scene such as Blur, Oasis, and the Boo Radleys. The five-piece indie band consists of Andrews (vocals, synth), Marcus Smith (guitars), Tom Beardsworth (guitars, keys), Jesse Burchat (bass) and David Amphlett (drums).
“Broke” tenderly opens Everything Will Change with Andrews’ yearning vocal accompanied by acoustic guitar, drums and bass. It’s a hauntingly beautiful song that lulls you in for the remaining tracks. “Never Go Home” hits it’s chorus in less than 30 seconds and the pace of the EP steadily gets quicker. With it’s ethereal synth and lyrics like “You should pack all your clothes / Run away from home,” you can feel the bittersweet earnestness to leave and never look back. “Hold On” starts off with a stuttering beat and Burchat’s bass is right up front in the mix. This is one that will get fans clapping along and shouting out “Hey! Hang on!” “S.O.S.” has a great repeated guitar stab that The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr. would love. Title track “Everything Will Change” closes out the EP and definitely leaves listeners longing for more. Fortunately, the band just released a new single, the stunning “End of the World”. This where all of Number Station’s magic comes together. After a spin or two, this song just gets lodged in your head. It’s easy to get caught up singing along with Andrews on the chorus of “It ain’t like / The sky is falling at every turn.” And they even throw in some “Oh-oh-uh-oh-ohs” for good measure near the end.
Number Station’s production is open in the sense that each instrument stands out while coalescing at the same time. Burchat’s bass sounds great throughout and is right up there where you want it to be. Amphlett’s drumming is solid and he simply nails the foundation of every track. Beardsworth and Andrews’ synth work gives everything the right sheen while Smith and Beardsworth’s guitars strum and pierce perfectly. Number Station’s recorded output may be small at this point, but each track is strong. They have taken their time to share the best and not release anything that’s not up to their seemingly high standards. This is an indication that Number Station is poised for even greater things.
Number Station – End of the World
