New Estate – Out of the Ground
Out of the Ground – New Estate
By Chris Peken
Depending upon their mood, Melbourne’s New Estate can be soothing and hypnotic or raucous and grating – just ask those sharing my listening space who could not believe it to be the same band. Perhaps that’s the result of four songwriters in one (four piece) band. Sounding for all money like they are a New Zealand band and following on from the tradition of Flying Nun bands like Straight-jacket Fits and co., New Estate take instruction from the likes of Yo La Tengo – the hauntingly beautiful and appropriate slow-grind pop of Life in the Suburbs, The Feelies and The Pixies – I Wanna Have Control, and filter them all through their own lush, green back-paddock. The meandering menace of the instrumental Lights Out giving that sense of insulated isolation. Yet New Estate can follow that with just over two minutes of the frenetic fuzz pop of Head Phones: “What are you listening to'”. It’s not easy to follow Out of the Ground, but there are some very tasty organic morsels to be enjoyed nevertheless.
*** 1/2
