Written for OzMusicProject
@ Manning Bar: University gigs probably aren’t the most ideal settings for bands. Especially when you’re playing at lunchtime. And it’s a Tuesday. The floor in front of the stage had tables and chairs, so if you wanted to be up close you had to fight the usual urge to be standing. And there was no supporting band or encore. But it’s a free gig, and my fellow UTS friend and I were fairly jealous of all these lucky SydneyU-sters who were getting these quality acts playing at their bar, the Manning.
Amongst the few trying to have lunch, the majority of the crowd had been drawn here to see Melbourne group, The Anyones. Currently on their ‘Trans-Highway One Tour’ to flog their new self-titled album, the boys have been working hard and winning hearts all over the country. They’ve been around for a good six years, but this, their second album marks their determination and reflects their ability to conquer the nation.
Opening with the sweetly nostalgic ‘Orange Bubblegum’, it’s a great benchmark for all the perfect pop rock we’re about to sample. Brothers Steve and Mal Pinkerton are the legs of the five-piece, managing to see to samplers, keyboards, guitars, tambourines, vocals and flute between them. The vocal harmonizing between them, as well as with bass player Nick Murphy is used to great effect, a throwback to the 60s sound of The Beach Boys and The Beatles.
In fact, The Anyones manage to delicately blend the best of the 60s, 70s and 80s into their sound, often into the one song, while maintaining a modern sensibility (as opposed to becoming yet another tribute to the past). Their strength comes from a solid base in melodies and catchy riffs. Nobody can deny that we have a band with musical ability on our hands.
But on top of this The Anyones add an interesting twist to their rock makeup, with samples of old film footage, quirky bitter synth-keys, whistling and put-on voices, as well as the use of classic instruments such as the flute. But none of it sounds like a gimmicky attachment. Instead it seamlessly blends into their sound, adding an extra layer of complexity to their likable pop sound. They move through their songs with a confidence that doesn’t see them try to be good – they simply are good.
