You're a Shadow (Hungry Kids of Hungary)

HUNGRY Kids of Hungary's 2010 debut, Escapades, gave a strong portent of the songwriting and musical ability lurking within.

Hungry Kids of Hungary

HUNGRY Kids of Hungary's 2010 debut, Escapades, gave a strong portent of the songwriting and musical ability lurking within.

To its credit, You're a Shadow supersedes the Brisbane pop quartet's debut in every way. The band's greatest asset is that each member is a master of their instrument. There's no weak link; no bassist playing tired lines, no drummer tapping out predictable beats. Every note is chosen for the purpose of serving the song.

That may sound banal but in the context of indie pop it's rare and remarkable to encounter such consistent innovation in the musicianship. For most bands, it's enough to hit on a memorable vocal melody or guitar riff, and ride the hook out for three or four minutes. Not Hungry Kids.

These 11 songs crackle with verve. It's clear these four have thrown everything they have into You're a Shadow and the results speak for themselves. There's not a weak track here. At a touch under 40 minutes, it's a lean collection but the ideas on display never outlast their welcome. This is another sign of the

band's maturity: don't overplay, don't overwrite, don't oversing. Guitarist Dean McGrath and keyboardist Kane Mazlin share vocals and writing duties. Their first co-write, When Yesterday's Gone, is the finest song here: a simply beautiful four-minute jam about mourning lost time. Memo is a close runner-up; the way it segues flawlessly from the previous track Colours is a nice touch, but the interplay between Ben Dalton's bassline and Mazlin's delicate key phrasing is spectacular. Indie pop music doesn't get much better than this.

Highly recommended.

LABEL: Stop Start
RATING: 4.5 stars