A History Of Hygiene
Chapter Music
Melbourne quirky bedroom popsters crammed six songs on to a 7” single and have upped the ante for their debut album with 24 songs clocking in at a little less than three quarters of an hour. That is not to say that The Stevens don’t think through their ideas, it’s just that they cram a lot into their concise melodic moments.
When confronted with the prospect of a full length, the band possibly thought their usual jangle may be a bit of a tall ask for a full 40-odd minutes, and have opted at times for a more rocking shade that often hints at some Pavement-like slacker ethos.
The delightfully titled From Puberty To Success shares this reference point with a little Velvet Underground to show the bands apparent ethos. There is enough jangle to make The Stevens a Flying Nun’s favourite habit on Elpho Beach, but it is on tunes like the bouncy single Hindsight where these young upstarts really hit their straps.
The Stevens tunes aren’t likely to trouble your radio anytime soon and can be a little too hip for their own good. With a fine handle of melody and the bedroom recording sound A History Of Hygiene has the right balance of self-obsession.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
