LIVE NATION: FOAM “I Could Milk Myself” Single Launch Review
Hitting up Mojo’s to commemorate the release of their new single “I Could Milk Myself” the boys in FOAM gave a raucous but super tight performance that bodes well for both their impending Australian tour and debut LP. They also deserve massive credit for curating a line-up of Perth’s best alt-rock/aussie rock bands (the laconic drawls, my god. So many laconic drawls you guys.)
Kicking off proceedings was garage rockers The Kramers, delivering a straightforward set full of simple but energetic surf rock they got the incoming crowd moving early and kept them that way. Joined by a supplementary tambourinist their set consisted of short uptempo tracks packed with fuzzy major chords and yelping vocals.
As the only band not performing in a 3-piece configuration, Regular Boys took full advantage of the extra manpower on stage to deliver a sublime performance. With three guitars, multiple vocalists and Hideous Sun Demon frontman Vincent Buchanan on bass, these boys put on a show that was anything but regular. People will make the typical Courtney Barnett comparisons and indeed they both share a combo of lackadaisical vocal delivery and true-blue observational lyricism, however the real treat of seeing Regular Boys in the flesh is to witness their prowess as a legit Aussie pub-rock band. Their songs are wistful yet sardonic and if you just so happen to be in the mood for sinking tinnies of Emu Export, propped up against a bar, worrying about how much of your dole payment is floating around your bank account, there is literally no better musical accompaniment. I truly do mean that as the highest of compliments.
As the midway act of the night PUCK, stepped things up a notch delivering by far the heaviest set of the evening, with an onslaught of down-tuned guitars and half time grooves the sheer volume of their sound was enough to virtually push the crowd up against the walls.
Next up were local favourites Doctopus, and I must say very few bands can pull off sounding both tight and loose quite like these guys do. While it might seem like an indictment of their playing ability, I assure you it’s not. These boys seem to thrive the more “rough around the edges” their set becomes. As the night wore on their inebriated fervour certainly got the crowd going as they fed off the debauched energy oozing from the stage. All around it was an impressive set punctuated by vocalist/bassist Stephen Bellair’s humorous banter between songs.
As the entire night was designed to launch their new single, and with the quality of the preceding bands being so high, there was much anticipation for FOAM to cap the night off with a bang. And bang they did. As card-carrying veterans of the Perth music scene, FOAM know how to put on a show. From the opening chords to the final cymbal crashes they were poised to demonstrate exactly how a band with a shared personal history going back a decade is supposed to sound. FOAM, to me at least, have always appeared determined to shed the obvious comparisons to a certain ubiquitous grunge band - that shall remain unnamed for fear of being boring. I have to say the more I hear from them the more that comparison loses its pertinence. Their talent for writing songs that are both dynamic and melodic is formidable and it echoes throughout all of their recent material, singer/guitarist Joel Martin’s ability to go from a low-key drawl to a cacophonous roar remains a true delight. This was markedly clear as they debuted ‘I Could Milk Myself’, the lead single off their upcoming LP. Once again I will take this opportunity to rave about the outro to that song, as the warm crunchy guitar lays out its melancholy melody over that bedrock of Harley Barnaby’s behemoth bass sound and Jackson Hawdon’s relentless drumming you could see the audience prick up its ears in unison. The release of this single and impending album presents an opportunity to catch a uniquely talented bunch of guys turn the corner in their musical careers, if get the chance to see them on their upcoming Australian tour I would urge you not to miss it.
Read our interview with FOAM here
