Since forming in early 2014, The Cherry Dolls haven’t been shy about sharing their wares with the world. Beginning with‘Wasted Pearls’, which arrived before they’d ever played live, the Melbourne band has unfurled five singles in the space of 12 months. The quintet’s latest release, ‘The Last Time’, maintains the loose rock’n’roll aesthetic of the four songs that preceded it, while also introducing a more dynamic sound.

“It’s a bit of a departure,” says guitarist Jacob Kagan. “It’s a bit more of a song; it’s got a bit more colour. I think we thought about the lyrics a bit more, as opposed to just riffs and solos.”

Perhaps the most notable point of distinction is the magnification of frontman Josh Aubry’s vocal range. In contrast to the distorted howls of ‘Wasted Pearls’, ‘The Last Time’ lucidly emphasises Aubry’s melodic capacity. This is the first single to be released since Kagan joined the band six months ago, and he’s quickly become enmeshed in the band’s creative engine.

“I like to take a lot of control with coming up with ideas and writing songs,” he says. “I think melody is really important. Instead of just being a rock’n’roll singer and just screaming and jumping around, it adds another dimension to the kind of performer you are. I don’t know whether I directly influenced [Aubry] to do that, but I rely heavily on melodies.”

You don’t need to rack your brain to detect the sorts of bands that excite The Cherry Dolls. Late ’60s and early ’70s rock’n’roll acts like The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Faces and New York Dolls figure prominently in the band’s creative DNA. However, they’re not trying to be a mere throwback.

“Originality is definitely very important,” says Kagan, “but I do like to plant it in something, so that people know that it’s coming from somewhere. Stuff that’s way too original, not too many people can relate.”

The band’s stylistic standing is matched by its production choices. All five singles convey a raw, live energy, where nothing sounds tirelessly laboured over. ‘The Last Time’ is the first song drawn from a forthcoming EP, which was produced by The Delta Riggs’ Alex Markwell. The track might’ve been carefully constructed, but the recording approach remained no-nonsense.

“I don’t really like to fuck around too much in the studio,” Kagan says. “It’s great when you’re good at it, and getting lots of different sounds out of synthesisers and messing around with the computer, but I like to use the Velvet Underground approach and just play it. I don’t think you need lots of bells and whistles to affect people. I just like to knock them out and then move on. I don’t really care about mistakes too much… unless they’re really bad.”

The Cherry Dolls have just hit the road for a national run of headline dates. They’re cruising into New South Wales for four nights, including three Sydney shows next weekend. This is easily the biggest chunk of touring in the band’s short history, but Kagan says the members already know how to deal with each other’s personality quirks.

“It’s not going to be an issue. Me and Thomas [van der Vliet, drums] are the oldest guys in the band by three or four years, so we generally bunk together. We’re like the grumpy old guys, so no-one comes and pisses us off and we can go to bed whenever we want. And the other stinky dudes can go to sleep in the other room and stink it up.”

Catch the Cherry Dolls when they play The World Bar on Friday June 5,The Standard BowlSaturday June 6,and/or the Lansdowne Hotel on Sunday June 7.

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