Earlier this year I caught up with Kazia for the first time, a band which comprises people who are all involved in other outfits, so we have singer Phoebe Walsh ({Brown Sugar Factory}), drummer Oliver Prendegast ({Strangely Arousing}), bassist/flautist Michael Anderson ({The Vibes}) and keyboard player Michael Ligani ({Big Tasty}). Musically this is a group who are heavily into soul, jazz, pop and groove, and having seen both Strangely Arousing and Big Tasty in concert I can see how well those bands align with this one. This song is packed full of lush arrangements, but there are also staccato elements which provide a nice amount of bite.
Then at the front is Phoebe, who has a wonderfully controlled vocal style, which has more than a little in common with Amy Winehouse, bring that pop elements to sit over the top. She provides cut through, and the structure of the chorus and its change in attack reminded me that when I saw these guys play, they covered Toto’s Georgy Porgy, as the chorus has far more in common with that style than the lush music we get the rest of the time. With a bass taking on a melodic role, and the keyboards being wonderfully layered, there is no room here for a guitar and it is never missed. The result is a wonderfully commercial, highly polished, single packed full of soul and I look forward to hearing more.
Rating: 8/10
