Debut single from Australian singer-songwriter Joel Sarakula is a light, frothy and enjoyable tune. Wrapped around a simple set of piano chords, joyful guitar and Sarakula’s Jeff Tweedy-esque vocals, it builds towards a sing-a-long finale, but it falls a little short of its anthemic leanings.
Plinky plonky Jon Brion-like piano kicks off Present Tense before swilry The Beatles-style guitars arrive, Sarakula crooning with a bit of a Tom McRae-bent to his delivery. Joel is a somewhat unashamedly pop musician, these songs are warm, approachable and sugary, however they lack truly memorable – or at least, individual sounding – melodies, there’s an overwhelming sense of familiarity to both tracks that does sour otherwise fine songs.
[Rating:3]
