ETHERS (BLOODY BOTTLE COLOURED)

A self-described "bad time band", Ethers' debut consists of twelve
songs of ragged, soulful rock and roll; heavy on hooks, with stark
arrangements and sticky melodies that hang with an unexpected
resonance. Instant earworms like opener "Empty Hours", "Rip O? "
and "Modern Dating" recall bands like soulful punks Royal Headache or
Asheville troubadours Reigning Sound, while third quarter-album high
point "CBD" rages with nervous energy like a long-lost Feelies "Crazy
Rhythms" outtake. Tunes like "Carry What You Kill" and album closer
"Something" are soaked in melancholy, but peppered with cynicism
and charm. The band oozes a world-weariness, but the tunes yearn with
a hopeful ache for better days ahead. Recorded in the raw, with very
little audio adornment by Chicago engineer Dave Vettraino & mastered
by Melbourne legend Mikey Young (Total Control, Eddy Current
Suppression Ring), the spartan production allows the songs to be the
main focus.