Photo cred: Dave Chance
The first glimpse of Poison Oak’s third EP shows the Aussie four piece developing their sound while staying true to their rock roots. Their single ‘Losing Ourselves’ provides a nostalgic glimpse at the process of falling apart, wrapped in a mature and grounded eccentricity.
There’s a fundamental understanding of good songwriting that lays the foundation of ‘Losing Ourselves’. The rhythm section shines with a particularly strong performance from drummer Chris Reiter. The unique use of dynamics alongside a driving rhythm is also evident on the bands previous songs, such as ‘Feeling Numb on Sundays’ and ‘Start Again’.
The bands sophomore EP ‘1996’ set a high standard for subsequent releases and it’s safe to say ‘Losing Ourselves’ surpassed the bar. There’s a sophistication in their sound sorely lacking from a lot of modern-day rock acts that really sets them apart. Their new singles tight production marred with their consistent sound and lyrics, is already turning heads.
Despite the band already causing a stir in the Australian rock scene, in recent months they’ve only grown in popularity and have gone on to gain international praise with reviews from ‘Triple J’, ‘Amnplify’, ‘Happy Magazine’ and radio play from international stations including Lopsided World of L.
‘Losing Ourselves’s catchy start pulls you in and demands you lose yourself along with the band. With its old school energy mixing with 90’s rock sensibilities, you’ll happily do just that.
Reviewed by Ciarán Coleman
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