CHILDREN COLLIDE

Monument
Universal

When Melbourne indie-rockers Children Collide played Big Day Out 2009 on the main stage around noon, there was a small but solid crowd rockin’ along to tunes from the three-piece’s debut studio record The Long Now. But, it wasn’t until May 2009 when their smash hit single Farewell Rocketship really pricked the ears of indie, rock and post-punkers. Now, frontman Johnny Mackay is back (sporting a new, clean cut haircut) with mad bassist Heath Crawley and drummer Ryan Caesar (who recently completed his last tour as the band’s drummer) with their third record, Monument.

Still withholding the band’s recognisable echoing basslines and raw guitar crunches, Monument is darker, more melodic and showcases some of Mackay’s most personal song-writing yet. Beginning with the modest and repetitive The Flat Earth, the energy picks up with lead single Sword To A Gunfight and catchy rocker Cherries. To-be-commercial lullaby Black Lemon adds a slice of psychedelic-garage rock to the mix with its religious referencing continuing in the brilliant Praying For Sunshine – Mackay’s vocals hit a whole new level here.

Prussian Blue sounds like Speed Of Sound from their second record Theory Of Everything, Sphere Of Influence could be a dance-rock anthem recorded in space and Smooth Gown offers up a touch of Krautrock. Slow burning compared to previous work but a varied record nonetheless stamped with the band’s signature sounds.


_ANNABEL MACLEAN