by Joe Massaro (@JosephMassaro15)
Formed in Hobart’s beloved Brisbane Hotel beer garden in 2019, It Thing quickly developed a reputation for playing fierce and energetic live shows through the Australian underground punk scene. With half of the four members now living in Melbourne, the garage punk outfit brought their blistering live sound to the studio on their debut Syrup, released through Marthouse Records (Dr. Sure’s Unusual Practice, Hideous Sun Demon) last year, their first release after a pair of singles in 2019. The nine-track EP is superbly delivered through fuzz-dripped power pop and cleverly tight post-punk that seep with the band's personality.
Cramming in a load of distorted power chords, hum-along melodies and quick-shifting itchy dance-punk beats into tidy, three-minute bursts, It Thing’s barrage of hooky, yet hard-edged and nervy punk is blanketed with a skewed pop sensibility — think the rapid-fire simplicity of punk giants like The Ramones and The B-52s and the raw charm of Divinyls and X-Ray Spex.
Through the EP’s nearly 25-minute runtime, It Thing cruises through its gloriously, unkemptly clamorous atmosphere with their hyper-speed tension and bold combative nature. On the blazing opener “God’s Car,” their fusion of legendary new wave bands and punk giants pays off as vocalist Charlotte Gigi’s shouty proclamations add a kiss-off quality to her classic punk prowess — “attack, defend / attack, protect.” The relentlessly unruly “Dress Code” is feverishly catchy with its dizzying guitar chords and sticky hooks while addressing themes of exclusivity and control. “Borrowed Time” is characterized by its dissonance and diary-like songwriting, while “Uncool” flourishes with its idiosyncratic chord progressions and rhythmic coils. The crackling chords on “Pet Snakes” swarm forward with momentum with angular extravagance over the pummeling motorik beat. They finish off with “Who Walks Your Dog?,” a highly-intense rumble of nitro-fueled vocals and razor sharp power chord riffs that carve deep into your brain over the melodic threads.
Now that Melbourne is celebrating its reopening from a lengthy lockdown with live music again, It Thing is gearing up for more shows this year to show why once again they’re one of the best additions to its underground scene.