"And the award goes to leonardo's bride !". Not a phrase you'll be accustomed to hearing in the U.K. granted. But the Australian band recently beat Nick Cave and Savage Garden to a prestigious 'Best Song' gong back on home turf. And deservedly so, for the said hit 'Even When I'm Sleeping' is a classic slab of acoustic pop balladry that walks the tight-rope between quality and accessibility - lean over too far and you're a commercial sell-out. Appropriately, the C.D. booklet with 'Angel Blood' features illustrations of jolly little circus performers who would no doubt perform such a gymnastic feat in a more literal sense.
And what of the remainder of the debut album ? Well, the lilting melancholy of 'Kissing Bedrock', infectious hooks of 'So Brand New' and 'Buddha Baby', and haunting heartfelt simplicity of 'Stay' and "Fall' add up to an impressive and likeable whole. Abby Dobson's vocals layer an earthy passion with soothing huskiness, over songs which are dreamily lyrical without being wordy or pretentious, while sometimes sweet melodies are counter-pointed with the subtlest of eeire samples - something the group explored a little more at their recent shows Upstairs at the Garage. Certainly this journalist's CD mountain was made a better by the arrival of this careworn little treasure.

Rosie Wilby.