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For those that came in late... Sydney powerpop band, Montana is a rare beast in this new century of popular music. Perhaps the rarest of beasts: a crisp, clear understanding of a pop song, a hold on history with the inclusion of a guitar or two, the appropriate embrace of modern technology, a great pair of shades and more hooks than a tackle shop. When you listen to the debut album, Bubblegum Love, it's unsurprising that the single, 'Koolest Band' rocked the Australian airwaves. They were the Koolest Band. Kinky, Ka-razy, Kool. An album full of head shaking, hip-swinging grooves, Montana unashamedly sprinkled chintz, truth and beauty into an enamel-coated, soft-centred, generous hearted, sweet thang. Ah, hyperbole. But there's also a darker side, with tracks like 'Nearer' and the more acoustic arrangements of 'Freaks' and the beautiful 'Julia' rounding out the album. Singer Paul Scott's distinctive voice, deft melody choices and 60's & 70's pedigree ensure that Bubblegum Love was an album of haunting pop confection. The completed album Bubblegum Love was released in Spain by cool indie label 'Rock Indiana', in France by the Sony affiliate 'Polaris' and distributed in the US by the 'Not Lame' label. The disc has been licenced for a 2005 release in the United Kingdom by the small but perfectly formed imprint 'Lojinx'. Montana spent 2003/2004 completing a tour of the UK, Spain and the USA and recording their second album Starsign:Tarantula Without abandoning the debut's classic guitar hooks & inventive pop melodies the song writing on Starsign:Tarantula has grown in variety & strength, the musicianship veering from the subtle and sophisticated 'Blondes against Brunettes' to the downright brutal 'Rejected'. Lush boy/girl vocal arrangements reminiscent of "Nearer' grace the powerpop blast that is 'MTV', 'Good goes Bad', 'Saturday Night' & 'Summerscool' are all simply poptastic, melodically sweet, lyrically dark, they beg repeated listenings. 'Stalki Blues' & 'Wait' push the boundaries of what can rightly be considered 'Powerpop' - musically inventive but packing enough hooks to lodge in your brain & stay there for days. Another step forward then, another step in the right direction. Check out the artist's website: http://www.montana-music.com Track List: 1. Good Goes Bad 2. MTV 3. Stalki Blues 4. Wait 5. Blondes Against Brunettes 6. Lucky 13 7. Saturday Night 8. Summerscool 9. Divine Discontent 10. Rejected 11. Alwzbnafan Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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