The Brag

Album Of The Week – Hungry Kids Of Hungary
Escapades
Mucho Bravado/EMI
****

This is becoming a golden year for Aussie music, isn’t it? Between this, PVT, The Holidays, Bag Raiders and Miami Horror, playlists are finally being filled by bands who could live down the street from you. Hungry Kids of Hungary are no exception; they tour relentlessly, release singles for nix and then blow us away with an album like this.

I’ll admit it, I wasn’t sold on ‘Wristwatch’, and ‘Scattered Diamonds’ seemed a bit throwaway for my liking. But hearing these tunes in the scheme of the larger picture that is Escapades, I have to applaud these guys on their excellent decision to whet indie kids’ appetites with punchy pop first – and save the best tunes for their record. Smart move from a smart band.

There’s a big, impressive sound to this quartet, and some amazing writing that you only really hear when the tempo slows down. ‘Closer Apart’ seethes, ‘Eat Your Heart Out’ dazzles and ‘Let You Down’ evokes the better days of Kings Of Leon – albeit without the attitude problem.

That they sing as well as they play is a bonus, that their songs never tire is a plus, and that their album shows an impressive diversity of styles without ever losing its character earns extra points. Hungarian food keeps you full for hours after you eat it – kind of like this record. It’s cucumber salad for the soul, people.

Brisbane could be like the new New Orleans…

Jonno Seidler