Maybe it’s their history, maybe it’s their landscape, maybe it’s the fact that a significant portion of their fauna can kill you without much trouble (I’m looking at you koala bear!). Whatever it is, Australians can rock pretty dern hard. Case in point, garage-blues group The Growl. They’re currently on tour supporting fellow Aussies Tame Impala on their North American tour (including tonight here in Austin at Stubb’s). But keep an eye on these fellas, because they’re probably gonna be headlinin’ their own North American tour soon.
The band formed in 2010, and hails from Fremantle, Western Australia (just outside of Perth). Growl started, as many bands do these days, as a two-man, bedroom recording project between frontman Cameron Avery and bassist Clinton Oliver. Avery also plays drums in the Australian psych-rock collective Pond. Today The Growl has an impressive six members (including two drummers), and they released their debut EP, Cleaver Lever (that’s “LEE-ver,” not “leh-ver” for us Yanks), in 2011.
Now that name’s important, because it’s also the name of today’s song of the day, and it’s one you’re gonna want to play loud. Repeatedly. It’s simple, and downright mean. There ain’t nothin’ soft or subtle about this tune, from the buzz-saw guitars and bass to the pounding factory beat. It’s kinda like what The Black Keys might’ve sounded like had they stayed in good ol’ Akron. It’s deep, heavy blues-rock that’ll be bouncing ’round your head for days.
