Australia’s music scene has churned out some truly spectacular bands over the last few years and Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders is no different. With the sweeping baritone vocals of the lead singer, deadpan lyrics, and rock melodies that verge on atmospheric, the band captures an era of the post-punk/goth rock genre that hasn’t been heard from in a while.
Jack Ladder sounds a hell of a lot like Jarvis Cocker: sardonic, plaintive, and strangely endearing. “Beautiful Sound,” is emblazoned with more than a handful of clichés–from making lemonade from lemons to removing one’s head from the ground only to put it in the clouds–and finds the singer waxing optimistic about life’s letdowns. Peppered with string synths, piano accents and happily depressed laments, “Hurtsville,” is perfect for brooding in the afternoon over sludge mistaken for coffee. In fact, every track from Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders makes you want to dye your hair black, break out the old combat boots, and walk around sullen–even just for nostalgia’s sake.
Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders can be found on Soundcloud, Facebook and on Spunk Records.
Sal Christ is a writer with headphones glued to her ears. When her head’s not crammed in a book, you can usually find her spending time upside down at a yoga studio.