by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Season 2 are a conglomeration of some of the best bands of the modern Aussie indie scene. Made up of members of Parsnip, The Stroppies, and Phil and the Tiles, Season 2 gel together for some lithe and tense indie pop and post punk on their debut LP Power of Now. Season 2 jangle and churn their way through tightly-wound, somewhat brittle pop with spunk and an interesting manner of songwriting that melds melody with spiky anxiety. The band has a knack of shifting from groove-oriented psych pop to wiry new wave, full of jumpy rhythms and wobbling and sharp keyboards that add a distinct amount of color as they pop in and out. The alternating vocals of each member creates a creative and ever-shifting musical environment that encourages tackling multiple moods, allowing the group to explore their various influences and personal styles with warmth and excitement.
“What For” kicks off the record with the scrappy drum rhythms of Carolyn Hawkins giving way to spacy Chills-like guitar lines via Freya McLeod and Matt Powell). Towards the song’s latter third, keyboard comes to the fore through the work of Claudia Serfaty as the band builds to a chiming crescendo that plays the song out on the right note. “Abundance” has a crooked post-punk beat to it as monotone vocals intone its tale of frustration at power structures and their foundations of stunting progress. Season 2 do a fantastic job at putting that unease to work in their jittery song through guitar breaks and pulsating rhythms adding a nice bit of contrast and release.
“Videos are Gone” is bouncy psych pop personified as the sprightly vocals nicely combine and the rhythm section furiously rolls and bounces away. The scruffy and tangled-tight jangle recalls early-mid 80s British DIY and C-86 tones. The wistful urging for fuzzy nostalgia is quite gripping and there is a bit of a “good time, lets embrace the present” vibe to keep everything from floating off in even more wild directions. “Nothing Affair” has an early Buzzcocks tension to it as vocals bounce off eachother and Serfaty’s keyboards drive and surge as cymbals crash and guitars encircle angrily. The changing of tones and rhythm adds a jerky, knife’s edge feeling to the call and response vocals that bounce off eachother almost queasily.
With Power of Now, Season 2 make their mark with a bouncy and explosive DIY-style that fully leans into a chaotic tangle of bubbling anxieties. This record rumbles and rushes through these sparkling melodies and quick-hitting tunes that make sure their charms don’t overstay their welcome. The verve and energy jumps out of the speakers and Season 2 manage to cling to their DIY roots while bringing in touches of Krautrock to enhance the moodier moments. Power of Now is a record that manages to bring divergent styles into a cohesive whole, providing little nuggets that are powerfully exciting and fun. It’s a record that will bring a warm smile to your face and possibly even get you up and bouncing with joy.