Best of Canberra Music with Vince Leigh
The debut album for three-piece Canberra-based indie rock band The Black Souls features seven tracks and a focused application of its hybrid style.
Band members Bart Black (guitar/vocals), Katrina Maree (bass/vocals), and Stephen Deakin (drums/ vocals) have delivered a raw, blues-infused rock record, which is undoubtedly a reflection of the band’s live performances.
Kicking off with Live Planet Die, the band’s eco-awareness is on show, as well as its ability to merge traditional and classic rock and blues styles into a cohesive whole.
The opening track is more rock orientated, with its gritty, straight chugging pace and chant-like chorus hook, sounding like a contender for an Aussie pub rock staple. This ability to veer from blues to rock easily and effortlessly is what holds part of this collection’s musical charm.
As we go on to the next track, Wasted, we’re exposed to another stylistic colour, with funk overtones seeping through the central blues motifs.
Elements that begin to stand out are the vocal performances. They are simultaneously unfiltered, vulnerable yet self-assured, eschewing Americanisation for distinct and genuine nuances.
Threading through the album is the smooth fire of the guitar playing, with solos abound.
However, it’s evident that alongside the thematic concerns regarding the lyrics, the band becomes a vehicle for Bart’s guitar skills.
That said, the rhythm section maintains a tight and energetic foundation, with some tunes, such as I Don’t Know If I Like You, revealing well-considered bass guitar work by Katrina, aided by Stephen’s unfaltering groove.
Overall, Heartbreak and Redemption plays as a tidy CV for a band whose live shows play a critical role. The album has that immediate, vigorous, and spirited shine to it—yet it is also fused to the songs’ emotional terrain.
In Black Night, we get an example of this as one of the chorus lines reveals:
I tell myself I’ll be alright
I just gotta get through this
black night.
A candid and credible debut whose significance will undoubtedly strengthen as the band adds to their recording output.
Listen to Heartbreak and Redemption on Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal