Album Review: Super Wild Horses - Crosswords

The newest album from Australian female duo, Super Wild Horses, oozes creativity. The album title, presentation and the music within are all cryptically imaginative. The title, Crosswords, hints at the puzzling nature of life itself, while neatly providing a framework for the inclusion of the clever cryptic clues for the album's song titles, which are inscribed on the album's inner leaflet. 

With minimal intervention with respect to production, Crosswords is another unabashed garage rock-pop collection from Super Wild Horses, reflecting both the demand for yet more DIY-sounding music and the popularity of Super Wild Horses' debut album, Fifteen, which was released in 2010 to critical acclaim with Australian audiences wholly embracing the signature lo-fi sound and calling for more. Crosswords answers this call. Reminiscent of '60s rock-pop, the layering of casual harmonies over buzzing guitar riffs is a winning and effortless combination.

While each track carries the garage rock thread, each has its own undertones. The opener, Alligator, is quite gritty, and provides a good introduction for what's to come on the album. Then there's the beautiful and understated cover of You've Really Got A Hold On Me, which is sure to have listeners swooning. Dragging The Fog is a sultry number and the playful Waikiki Romance is a delightful note on which to end the album.

Amy Franz and Hayley McKee must be applauded for their simple, revitalising style of music production and performance. Crosswords is a no-frills album that portrays the girls doing what they know and love – playing music. It makes for a refreshing break from all the over-produced electronica that seems to be dominating the airways of late.