Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
In The Capital
Ivy League
Melbourne rockers Rolling Blackouts C.F. return with a new single to follow up their highly acclaimed 2018 LP, Hope Downs. In The Capital is cut from the same cloth as Hope Downs, with a steady churning rhythm and those lush-with-attitude guitar lines.
Lyrically, the words are fairly abstract. With “Step lightly, let the river take you/ In the seeking of life, in the corridors” one can’t help but wonder if they’re thinking of Canberra, as these words are so indefinite they bring to mind corporate art hung in government office spaces.
Nevertheless, structurally, the verses and choruses serve to provide the backbone of the track, but the real stars are the guitar, bass and keys weaving around the central thread of song. This is Rolling Blackout’s strength, as these elements provide the true soul of their sound, and In The Capital is no exception. With the lyrics out of the way, the song concludes with an extended instrumental outro to provide a satisfying finish.
All up, In The Capital is an extension of the great sounds of Hope Downs and previous releases, and feels like sitting in a Lazy-Boy chair and reclining your head back and extending the footrest. This is its danger as well, as Rolling Blackouts C.F. ply a comfortable brand of jangly indie rock, but which without some future innovation to the sound is at risk of becoming, well, a bit like Canberra.
PAUL DOUGHTY
