Melbourne’s Beaches have revealed ‘Arrow’, the third single from their upcoming double album Second Of Spring released on the 8th of September. ‘Arrow’ is a scorching garage-rock song a blizzard of chiming psych riffs and propelling baselines, intertwined by bittersweet harmonies with outsider lyrics that are just tantalisingly out of reach. But far from being too ephemeral, Beaches sound is sleek, powerful and impenetrable, this peerless tune is soaked in attitude it gives you I’d imagine a similar sensation of abandon, escape and self-determination as hurtling out to the edge of the city in a convertible with the roof down. These girls knock compatriots King Gizzard out of the ball park with their marriage of classic influences, girl gang spirit, and infectious sound. And it’s utterly thrilling.
The third eye visuals of the accompanying video also hark back to the era of the Nuggets compilation “Arrow“, filmed by Beaches’ own Antonia Sellbach. It features footage from abstract animated videos Antonia made as a project in art school, paired with brief glimpses of the band. “We appear on the margins as shadows and silhouettes, always secondary to the onslaught of shape, colour, and forms in flux,” says Antonia.
A super-group of sorts, Beaches comprise several musicians who had been playing in different bands for years, as well as those who had never been in bands before. They have three guitarists creating a powerful wall of sound, with Ali McCann and Alison Bolger (Panel Of Judges, Sleepy Township, etc.) on rhythm guitar, and Love of Diagrams’ Antonia Sellbach on lead guitar. The rhythm section is made up of Gill Tucker on bass (who plays with Scott and Charlene’s Wedding) and Karla Way on drums.
