Reviewed on Wednesday June 24
Anyone who has paid even fleeting attention to developments in the realm of interesting guitar-oriented music within Sydney of late is already all over Oslow. The out-west 20-somethings have spent the last 18 months developing their garage-dwelling math rock to its sharpest, hookiest and sunniest, showcased here in key tracks like ‘Fatigue’ and ‘Blue On Blue’. Having played with the likes of La Dispute, RVIVR and Knapsack, Oslow have also found themselves performing for incrementally bigger crowds. Tonight’s set is not only a justification of this, but irrefutable proof that they won’t be stopping this roll anytime soon.
You ever heard the saying “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride”? Adelaide’s Paper Arms are so underrated they didn’t even get invited to the damn wedding. Thankfully, the tide looks to be turning with both the release of their third album, Great Mistakes, as well as this tour, which has them as the main support. Vocalist Josh Mann can tear strips off walls with his Chuck Ragan husk, leading his bandmates (as well as fill-in drummer Pat Murphy) through a highlight reel of their bristling, cathartic brand of melodic punk. If you weren’t paying attention before, wake up quick smart.
The last time Title Fight were in town, they took over the old Annandale Hotel for a weekend of shows that had all the body-flying, finger-pointing, lungs-exhausting intensity of a hardcore show – which was especially peculiar when, contextually, they began their set with a hazy shoegaze number, ‘Head In The Ceiling Fan’, from their second LP, Floral Green. Tonight begins in an even quieter manner, utilising the slow-burning ‘Murder Your Memory’ from February’s Hyperview.
The contrasts between the band’s past and present are more polarising now than ever – and indeed, to the more stage-dive-hungry punk kids in attendance, the Hyperview material may feel like an endurance test. For those with more of an open mind, however, tracks such as the beautiful ‘Your Pain Is Mine Now’ and the Smiths-aping ‘Mrahc’ prove to be some of the best parts of the entire set. As far as Title Fight have come in the past few years, they still pay respect to where they’ve been through older numbers including ‘Symmetry’, ‘You Can’t Say Kingston Doesn’t Love You’ and the chaotic closer of ‘Secret Society’. No encore. No need. The Title Fight saga continues exclusively on their terms.
