Brisbane’s The Blackwater Fever are one of Australia’s finest yet most underrated blues-rock bands. The Depths is their third album and it’s another intriguing step forward following the solid foundations the band laid on their dark and gritty debut, Sweet Misery (2009) and its more refined, equally accomplished follow-up, In Stereo (2011).
The band has done the hard yards for this latest album, going down the DIY path in recording, producing and mixing the album themselves in their home studio, Parallel Sound. The Depths takes the darker atmospheric tones and rawer edges from the debut and blends it with the mature, dynamic song-writing of In Stereo. The end result finds the band stitching together the strongest elements of their previous two releases and moulding it into a meaty, brooding and versatile batch of swampy blues-rock tunes. Coupled with their best production yet and the addition of third member Jed Walters (bass/organ), The Depths may just be the band’s best album to date.
Although it doesn’t share the immediacy of its predecessor, The Depths brings an array of varied compositions, some of which reveal their layers and more elusive hooks through repeat plays. From slow burning numbers to tough garage blues-rockers and considerable territory traversed in-between, the band cover ample ground. The addition of bass and organ has added some extra spark, bringing further depth and heft to their sound. The organ in particular is integrated with great success and used sparingly to compliment, rather than overshadow their lo-fi garage blues aesthetics. At 14 tracks, a couple of the weaker songs could have been culled to tighten the package, but overall the high quality song-writing is present for the bulk of the album’s 45-minute duration.
The Depths opens with the brooding, slow-burning stomp of ‘When the Night Comes’, featuring a typically powerful vocal from singer/guitarist Shane Hicks. The catchy swing and groove of bootlegging tale ‘Don’t Fuck with Joe’ is a clear-cut highlight loaded with memorable hooks and the potential to garner the band greater radio airplay. Follow-up tune ‘Now She’s Gone’ has a sorrowful, authentic blues tone captured by the languid, head-bobbing rhythms, clever use of organ and some wonderfully expressive guitar work. Elsewhere, the hypnotic punch of ‘Seven White Horses’ has an ominous feel and darker tone that shows an edgy, heavier side of the band. The album wraps up in stylish fashion with the emotive vocals and epic vibe of the smouldering title track.
The Blackwater Fever continues to take progressive steps forward whilst sticking close to their blues-rock roots. The Depths is another fine album from the band, showcasing their increased song-writing maturity and knack of creating tough, soulful and dynamic blues-rock songs.
Independent/MGM Distribution
8/10
Reviewer: Luke Saunders