Melbourne Australia’s hardest working power pop band recorded and mixed In Transit in London and had it mastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. And the Wellington’s latest is once again a wonderful power pop creation. The band’s sound has gotten tighter and more consistent with time, and lead vocal Zac Anthony’s approach has more of a pop (as opposed to rock) sound than previous releases, with less emphasis on the lead guitar driving the melody and more reliance on vocals and harmonies to do the heavy lifting.
Opening with the fast-paced chords of “Keep Me Holding On” Zac takes charge assisted by Kate Goldby’s backing harmonies. And Goldby gets to shine as lead vocal herself for the brilliant “I’m Feeling The Same Way” and “Baby’s Got A Secret.” The compositions are dense with instrumentation that creates a full wall of sound that envelops the listener. The guitar is more prominent on “Adamant” which drives home the catchy chorus and Gustav Lindstroms crashing drums are a perfect compliment too. Another highlight among many is “Your Love Keeps Bringing Me Down” with its piano chords and “bop-bop” backing vocal harmonies that fans of Jellyfish will swoon for.
The pace is relentless till we reach the string laden ballad “I Fell For You,” and here the band stretches its wings with a goose-bump inducing bridge. The songwriting here is also excellent. Every tune here hits the mark, with a one exception(“Alright, Alright” feels a bit forced compared to the others). For those bands looking for a prime example of modern power pop, this should serve as the new template. Fans of IKE, Farrah, and group harmonies should not hesitate and grab this album. Easy top ten nominee for 2011.
3 thoughts to “The Wellingtons “In Transit””
Comments are closed.