ALBUM REVIEW: San Cisco

Garage-boppy-indie-popsters SAN CISCO have finally finished their much anticipated debut album, and want you to love it and soak in all it’s fun, Summery glory!

Starting out in 2009, Western Australia’s Jordi Davieson, Josh Biondillo, Nick Gardner and Scarlett Stevens joined forces and started creating the energetic, fun-loving sounds of San Cisco. Their music hold hands with the sunny rays of their hometown, Freemantle, and has put smiles on the faces of many around not only Australia, but overseas too.

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After releasing a handful of EPs, including ‘Awkward’ - the track that threw them into popularity and landed the seventh spot of Triple J’s Hottest 100 in 2011, the band have seen themselves tour internationally, play major festivals, headline their own shows, support influential musicians and sign to Fat Possum Records.

Now ready to take off with the Wild Things Tour before paying the Falls Music And Arts Festival over New Years Eve, San Cisco have finally released their self-titled debut record. We’re so excited about this that we’ve sussed it all out for you!

Reminiscent of an old 80s tune, San Cisco’s debut opens with ‘Beach’. A track completely different to the San Cisco we knew before, it’s clear that the four piece have been hard at work during the process of writing the album as this track delivers to the audience a variety of retro sounds through the versatile abundance of instruments.

‘Fred Astaire’ is a tune that will inevitably have the hands of any San Cisco crowd clapping, thanks to the pulsating drum beats that powerfully lead this track. Tinkling keyboards, cute lyrics and a variety of different beats and tempos make this the perfect Summer festival song.

What appears to be a looped sample opens up ‘Hunter’, the ethereal and ongoing chant plays throughout the entirety of the third track. Something about Jordi’s vocals in this slow song remind me of Alex Turner at some point in Arctic Monkeys’ catalogue, I just can’t quite pinpoint when.

The track they’re gearing up to take on tour, ‘Wild Things’ is a little different to the first three songs we’ve passed so far. There’s a lot of key and synth samples that enter simultaneously and quite busily in the chorus, and depart abruptly at each verse. “Try and stay away from where the wild things play” sings Scarlett during the chorus quite fittingly as the instrumentation at this point is at the track’s wildest. Experience a very small dosage of beat boxing to close the song as it supplements the former drum beat.

With very fast downward strumming of a guitar, cool keys, a tambourine and a exceedingly fast paced drum beat, ‘No Friends’ is a short song about someone who seemingly has no friends – all they do is “bitch and moan”. This is a classic San Cisco track as it features some “woos” and “woahs” and happy go lucky instrumentation, deceiving the tale that it’s telling. Judging by the lyrics, this song sounds like it focuses on a break up.

“Na na na na na na na naaaaaaa”. Yep, you may have heard ‘Lyall’ before as it’s made some air play. If you have, you’d know it’s a fun one. The instrumentation is super speedy which almost makes it sound like a cat and mouse chase. Going by the lyrics, I’m going to say this track tells the tale of substance abuse.

The pretty finger picking of a clean guitar opens ‘Metaphors’. After a few bars of the delightful strings, we’re quickly introduced to the impeccable vocal harmonizing between two of the San Ciscos. A lot of the vocal deliveries in this tune are used as quite the instruments as they are voiced quite effectively as either the dominant layer or one that hides behind Jordi’s singing.

‘Mission Failed’ reacquaints us with that 80s feel through the use of synths and a driving backing beat. Jordi and Scarlett sing this tune together in a balanced and lovely way, as one’s voice truly complements the other.

Jordi and enters ‘Stella’ vocally simultaneously with the detailed guitar riff of the ninth track. By the time the chorus comes around, there’s a buzz that transcends underneath the piles of layers. There’s a certain intricacy to the guitar in this track that plays along to the thunderous drum beat and strong vocals, creating a combustion of good noise.

A really cute and clean little guitar riff opens ‘Toast’. With the addition of more strings and drums, San Cisco have offered us one of those cherished lazy Summer songs. With the mildly reverberated vocals and guitar hooks, parts of this song sounds as though it’s being played underwater.

‘Nepal’ kicks off with a slow keyboard riff, accompanied by the stomps of a bass drum, a soft guitar ranging in pitch and a futuristic synth. These instruments are carried all the way through the tune as Jordi sings of a relationship that’s just about ended.

Comprised of funky samples and ringing synths, ‘Outro’ heaves with a singing drum beat overdubbed by a variety of layers. Closing an album that has proved to San Cisco’s audience how far they’ve come in their short yet overly successful career, this track completes quite a sturdy, well written debut record and plays out in the sense of an anthem.

The album is available in a two disc format, with the additional CD comprising of their much cherished tracks, 'Awkward', 'Golden Revolver', 'Rocket Ship' and 'Girls Do Cry'.

Catch San Cisco in selected states on their upcoming tour in December!

WILD THINGS TOUR AND FESTIVAL DATES

Friday, 30th November

Bended Elbow, Geelong

Tickets available at Oztix

Saturday, 1st December

Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Tickets available at the Corner Hotel's website

Sunday, 2nd December

The Gov, Adelaide (all ages)

Tickets available at Moshtix

Saturday, 8th December