Brisbane/Meanjin-based sludegepop trio Terra Pines (formerly Tall Pines) are set to release their debut self-titled album this Friday 11 May; followed by a five-date national tour across May/June.
Crafting wholly enveloping music that can just as comfortably sit alongside heavy noise or dexterous indie pop, Terra Pines - Kelly Hanlon (guitar/vocals; also of DEAFCULT), Owen Dengate (guitar/vocals; Ghost Notes) and Cameron Smith (drums/vocals; Spirit Bunny, Tape/Off) - are, as self-proclaimed "mood merchants", more concerned with conveying raw emotion than anything else. Having won ears and hearts to the tune of international airplay from California's DKFM Shoegaze Radio and Reverb Radio in the UK, and plenty of support from local community radio under their former name Tall Pines, Terra Pines unleash their brand of gurgling, boisterous grungegaze with a fresh moniker via their first full-length record.
Endlessly fascinated with the duality and mystery of life, Terra Pines' self-titled debut LP interlaces gritty guitars, heavy reverberating drums and lilting vocals to weave a document of self-discovery. As can only be expected, it comes gloriously messily: 11 songs, effortlessly taut but undeniably fuzzed-out, presenting disjointed melodically-driven tales of anxieties, night terrors, excitement, spoon-bending psychics, and new romance, each more expansive than the last.
While bright and noisy lead single 'Kidult' highlights Terra Pines' love of the pop craft, soft-released album cut 'Tiredal Wave' is a weary dissection of ennui, exploding with one last sputter of spirit before descending into quiet again. Terra Pines' inherent love of dynamism and contrast is front and centre in latest instant-grat 'Dream Big', a rambunctious coupling of infectious melodies with heavy guitars and seismic drums that starkly offsets the impassive musings on reconciling youthful hopes and dreams with the reality that things don’t always go to plan.
With the release of their debut album, Terra Pines will embark on their first ever national tour. Witness their ability to create "the most heavily contrasted kind of dream pop aesthetic" (Chris Cobcroft, 4ZZZ) alongside support from their peers in underground noise, punk, and shoegaze scenes like Blush Response, Psychic 5, Concrete Lawn, Pleasure Symbols and many more.
