Australian band Stand Atlantic release a new 5-song EP, Sidewinder, via Rude Records in September. The Sydney-based band put out their first EP, A Place Apart, in 2015 and within the two years since the group have tightened up their songwriting yet their core sound remains consistently identifiable. Singer/guitarist Bonnie Fraser, bass player David Potter, and drummer Jonno Panichi neatly straddle the border of pop-punk and pop-rock, and the resulting EP is an upbeat, seriously hooky series of songs.
‘Coffee at Midnight’, the lead single from the EP, is a perfect slice of the band’s sound. “Coffee At Midnight’ is about that feeling of desperately trying to cling onto something or someone versus finally letting go”, Fraser says. The single leans more toward pop-punk than pop-rock, but its rough, interesting guitar sound keeps it from sounding formulaic.
‘Mess I Made’ is a dynamic song with crunchy, compressed vocals and some absolutely great lines, as when Fraser sings, “Drown in doubts alone, I’ve always had my own / Cause I’m lost inside, someone take me home.” Recorded with producer Stevie Knight, the EP overall is a highly-produced, shiny affair, but its production never makes the songs feel artificial. Rather, while the production level remains visible throughout, this is a deliberate stylistic choice and not a crutch. On ‘Chemicals’, the most out-and-out rock song off the EP, when Fraser is finally given the space to showcase her voice, this point is made abundantly clear from her projection and the song’s huge chorus.
With Sidewinder, Stand Atlantic have made a fun, catchy record worth getting. Stand Atlantic are fresh off a series of dates opening for New Found Glory across Australia, and with more touring ahead both there and in the UK, the Sydney band look poised to make an impression on audiences at home and abroad.
